[Edaily Reporter KIM HYUNSIK ] “This is a song I’ve held close to my heart for a long time. After 21 years, I’m finally releasing it to the world in my own voice.”

Composer and singer Yoo Hae-jun, known for creating hits such as Park Wan-kyu’s “Love of a Thousand Years,” CAN’s “Cheonsangyeon,” and Jung Jae-wook’s “Goodbye,” has revived a song released 21 years ago. The new song, titled “Let’s Leave,” was released on the 5th. In an interview with E-Daily on the 10th at his agency, Cheong Entertainment, located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Yoo Hae-jun shared the story behind the song, saying, “It was a song that didn’t get the recognition it deserved when it was first released, so I really wanted to present it again someday if the opportunity arose.”
◇Breathing New Life into a Song Released 21 Years Ago… Reborn Through Yoo Hae-jun’s Voice
“Let’s Go” is a song Yoo Hae-jun wrote for a rookie singer in 2005. Released without much promotion at the time, it failed to gain widespread recognition among the public.
Yoo Hae-jun said, “Over the years, several singers have expressed a desire to cover ‘Let’s Go,’ but it never led to an actual release. I felt I couldn’t put it off any longer, so I decided to sing it myself.” He added with a laugh, “When I actually tried singing it, I realized it was quite a challenging song even for me. I even felt a bit sorry for the singers I had recommended this song to in the past.”
“Let’s Part” is a ballad centered on the pain of a man bidding farewell to his loved one. It follows the classic formula for a hit ballad, beginning with a lyrical atmosphere, erupting with emotion in the chorus, and concluding grandly with a spectacular string arrangement.

Yoo Hae-jun described the song, saying, “It’s like watching a drama, much like ‘Love of a Thousand Years’ or ‘Goodbye,’” and added, “It combines sweet and romantic sentiment with intense energy. It’s a song where spicy, salty, and sweet flavors all blend together.”
The arrangement was entrusted to the production team AIMING. AIMING is the team responsible for arranging the remake of Lee Chang-seop’s “Cheonsangyeon,” which swept the music charts.
Yoo Hae-jun commented, “When the remake of ‘Cheonsangyeon’ came out, I was really surprised by the arrangement. While the original was a 1990s-style rock ballad, Lee Chang-seop’s version successfully blended the feel of a modern K-pop ballad while preserving the original’s sentiment.”
He explained that he proposed this collaboration to Aiming using a contact he had saved at the time, adding, “I wanted to bring that same transformation to ‘Let’s Go.’ I’m satisfied that the sound has become more modern and dynamic than the original.”
He also put special effort into the vocal performance. Yoo Hae-jun said, “I tend to immerse myself deeply in the emotions when singing, but this time, in particular, I felt a dazed sensation that lingered for a long time, as if I had actually broken up with someone,” adding, “I need to start working on other projects soon, but I still haven’t completely shaken off the emotions from ‘Let’s Go.’”

◇From “Cheon Sang-yeon” to “I Miss You So Much It Drives Me Crazy”… A “Fountain of Remakes”
Yoo Hae-jun, a founding member of the group CAN, is known in the music industry as a “treasure trove of remakes.” This is because many of the songs he has composed—including “Cheon Sang-yeon” originally sung by Lee Chang-seop, as well as “Only You for Me” by Taphyun and “I Miss You So Much” by Hwang Ga-ram—have been reborn through the voices of younger artists and achieved strong results on music charts.
In particular, the popularity of “Cheonsangyeon” moved Yoo Hae-jun deeply. “Although the original song enjoyed some popularity when it was first released, it wasn’t loved for as long as I had hoped, which was a great disappointment,” he recalled. He continued, “Seeing the version sung by Lee Chang-seop become so widely loved made me realize that every song has its own destiny,” adding, “I vividly remember the moment I was deeply moved while walking near Gangnam Station and hearing ‘Cheon Sang-yeon’ playing in the background.”
Yoo Hae-jun cited deep emotional resonance as the reason his old songs are regaining popularity. “These days, it’s not easy to find new songs that are ballads with the same depth of emotion as in the past,” he said. “It seems there are still many people who long for the unique, profound emotional depth characteristic of ballads from that era.”

◇Preparing a New Song with Jung Jae-wook… “I’d Also Like to Work with Lim Young-woong”
Yoo Hae-jun has produced numerous hit songs, including the previously mentioned tracks, as well as “From the Beginning Until Now” from the drama *Winter Sonata* OST, Park Sang-min’s “Farewell, My Weapon,” Click-B’s “Unbeaten in a Hundred Battles,” and Lee Hyun-woo’s “It’s Raining.” He continues to delight music fans not only with the songs he composes but also with those he sings himself.
Last August, he announced the launch of the music project “Yoo Hae-jun’s Story.” This project involves producing tracks by finding the voice that best suits the songs he has composed. The first track, “You’re the Only One,” was performed by rookie singer Ahn Chang-yong, who was selected through an open audition, adding further significance to the project. Yoo Hae-jun said, “When selecting a vocalist, I’ll place importance not only on skill but also on their earnestness and passion toward music.”
For the next singer, he chose Jung Jae-wook, with whom he had already demonstrated great chemistry on “Goodbye.” The new song featuring Jung Jae-wook is currently in production, with the goal of releasing it before the end of the year. Yoo Hae-jun stated, “I want to continue this project by collaborating with a variety of singers in the future.”
When asked which singer he would most like to collaborate with someday, he named Im Young-woong. He explained that he was deeply impressed after watching Im Young-woong’s cover video of “The Story of an Elderly Couple in Their 60s.”
“I think he’s an artist who excels not only in trot but also in various genres, including ballads,” he said. “In particular, his pacing and emotional expression were outstanding. Watching his cover of ‘The Story of an Elderly Couple in Their 60s,’ I was so deeply moved that I felt as if I had become the character in the lyrics myself.” He also expressed his hope, saying, “It won’t be easy, but if the opportunity ever arises, I’d definitely like to collaborate with Lim Young-woong.”
He also hinted at plans for his next new song, which he will release as “Singer Yoo Hae-jun.” Yoo Hae-jun said, “Next year, I think I’ll be debuting a modern rock-style song with a strong guitar sound as my first new release,” adding, “I’ll strive to bring you a variety of music and not limit myself to just ballads.”