[article] Kim Dong-wan: Out of Shinhwa’s Shadow

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Excerpt:

Kim has been in the music industry for over nine years now. When he was a high school student, he formed a group with his friend MC Mong. But he was soon asked to join Shinhwa in 1998, becoming one of the group's vocalists.

Despite Shinhwa's success, one of Kim's dreams was to become an actor. So he started pursuing an acting career, appearing in TV dramas like ``A Farewell to Sorrow, '' ``The Person I Love'' and the film ``Spin Kick.''

Being a singer-actor, Kim couldn't help but notice that Korean singers are not considered as popular or as influential as actors.

``The influence of actors is a lot stronger than the that of singers in Korea. But in Japan, it's the other way around. Japanese idols and singers are a lot more popular than actors. It's not just that they have more fans, but the Japanese idols can also sing, act and do other activities. I have the ability to be an actor and singer,'' he said.

In the past, Kim had said he would prefer a career in acting, but now things have changed. Now, he loves singing more than acting.

``When you watch a drama, you forget all about it after. But when you listen to music, it sticks with you forever. You can't forget it,'' he said.

Read it: Kim Dong-wan: Out of Shinhwa’s Shadow