Kim Kwang-seok made “Around Thirty” famous, but Kang Seung-won wrote both its lyrics and music. A KBS performance by Kang, Jeon In-kwon and Lee Chan-hyuk brings the song’s authorship back into view.
The singer and the songwriter
The 1994 album Kim Kwang-seok 4 credits Kang Seung-won with both the lyrics and composition of “Around Thirty.” The song became known through Kim’s voice, and singer and songwriter each left their own mark on how it is remembered.
Three generations, one song
In the KBS Kpop performance, Kang sings with Jeon In-kwon and Lee Chan-hyuk. Rather than duplicating the original recording, the stage layers three voices from different generations in the same song.
Credits and context
Copyrighted lyrics are not reproduced here. The story draws on the 1994 album credits and an official performance video to show who wrote the song and how it continues to be reinterpreted.
