[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] “K-Pop Hot Talk” is a weekly column that highlights memorable quotes gathered while covering the K-pop scene. <Editor’s Note>

◇“Even though it’s my own song, it felt fresh”
Singer Yang Soo-kyung made this remark on the 26th at a press conference for her new song release and nationwide tour concert held at the YTN Hall in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, while sharing her thoughts on how her older songs continue to be loved across generations.
The song Yang Soo-kyung referred to is “The Meaning of You,” a track from her third studio album released in 1990. This song has been consistently discussed online amid the City Pop craze and is gaining attention from younger generations as well. It became a hot topic when DJ and producer Peggy Q played it at a Gucci after-party, and when BTS’s V and NewJeans’ Hyein each sang along to it in their own content.
Yang Soo-kyung smiled and said, “It was refreshing to have a BTS member and that cute girl from NewJeans sing my song. I never imagined it would be covered like this when I first released it, so it made me feel really good.” She also shared a behind-the-scenes story, saying, “I had my son send a thank-you message to Peggy Gu.”
She also added, “When that reaction came, I should have continued my broadcasting activities, but I wasn’t able to,” and noted, “I’m thinking I should sing ‘The Meaning of You’ again on various stages.”

Yang Soo-kyung, who debuted in 1988, had numerous hits, including “The Meaning of You,” “The One I Cannot Look Upon,” “Love Is Like Rain Outside the Window,” “Love Is a Cold Temptation,” and “Where Does This Goodbye End?” While active in Japan, she won the NHK-TV New Artist Award, the Asia’s Top 5 Stars Award, and the New Artist Award at the Top 10 Singers Music Festival hosted by MTV Japan.
Yang Soo-kyung described the era in which she was active as “the Renaissance of the K-pop industry,” reflecting, “It was a golden age for every genre, so I was fortunate enough to receive a lot of love for every song I released.”
She also shared her unique feelings about watching younger singers make their mark on the global stage. “When I see artists like BLACKPINK or G-Dragon—whom I personally admire—being loved worldwide, I feel proud not just as a singer but as a citizen of South Korea,” Yang Soo-kyung said. She added, “These days, professionals step in to strategically prepare everything. I’m actually a bit envious of that.”
Yang Soo-kyung will meet audiences through her nationwide concert tour titled “Inyeon.” This marks her first nationwide tour under her own name in 34 years, since 1992. The first performance will take place on October 18 at the CCC Stage in the Cube Convention Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The schedule for regional performances will be announced at a later date.
She expressed her overwhelming emotions, saying, “I’ve always dreamed of the opportunity to go on a nationwide tour. I’m so happy to have been given this chance again.”
Yang Soo-kyung is also preparing to release her 10th studio album. “I want to be a singer who invests in albums rather than buying luxury goods or jewelry,” she emphasized.