01x03 - Episode 3

[bunniefuu]

WE ASKED MUSICIANS FROM DIFFERENT GENRES

WHAT IF

YOU HAD ONLY ONE CHANCE TO PRESENT
A PERFECT PERFORMANCE BEFORE YOU DIED?

THERE'S JUST ONE CONDITION

DO IT IN ONE TAKE

MARCH 16TH, 2022

What if you could sing
just one song before you died?

Just one song?

That was so hard.

It could be
my only moment in the spotlight.

-If this doesn't work, we're screwed.
-Right.

It's a concert
where you only get one take.

There are a lot of things
that don't make any sense.

It's a chance to challenge myself.

Can I create the effect I want
in a place like this?

I just want this performance
to scream MAMAMOO.

There will be 200 dancers.

This wouldn't be possible without Netflix.

To be on a stage like this before I die,
at the end of my life...

It's the time remaining until Take 1.

Is this like a time b*mb?

SOME REMEMBER HIM
AS A LEGENDARY ROCKER

Yim Jae-beum was...

YOON DO-HYUN
ROCK SINGER/YB

...a member of Sinawi
and then of Foreign Legion.

I admired him so much.

I was starstruck by his voice and thought,

"I wish I could sing like him."

I thought that a lot.

BECAUSE OF HIS NUMEROUS HITS

INCLUDING "THE FLIGHT,"
"CONFESSION," AND "FOR YOU"

OTHERS REMEMBER HIM
AS THE BEST VOCALIST OF ALL TIME

His unique singing style
and his delivery of the lyrics

that is unbelievably poignant.

These factors are why Yim is often called...

KIM EA-NA
COMPOSER

...a legend by those
who are from the same era.

HAVING RECEIVED WIDE ACCLAIM,

AFTER FINISHING HIS 2016 CONCERT,

YIM DISAPPEARED ALL OF SUDDEN

JANUARY 19TH, 2022

Can we also set up a GoPro and...

Well, what about...

Let's make it simple this time

and do it properly later.

THAT'S HOW THE FIRST MEETING WENT

SOME TIME LATER

You can park over there...

-Are you ready, sir?
-Yes.

-Yes, you can put the mike on him.
-We'll mike you up now.

Okay.

I feel so awkward.

My goodness.

It's been several years, right?

May I?

Sure.

Does my beard look okay on camera?

-It looks good.
-Looks great, sir.

I'd better not take my hat off
as my hair is quite a mess.

How long has it been
since you were in front of a camera?

I think it's been about six years.

I'm finding it hard to breathe,
and I don't know what to say.

This feels like a dream.

When I get back home,
I might feel like I've had a nap.

You've been away for a long time.

A 6-YEAR HIATUS

Could you tell us why?

I was away because...

Firstly, my wife passed away.

Because of those family issues
and circumstances,

I ended up going on a six-year hiatus.

Those with similar experiences
would understand

that it's not something
you can easily overcome.

So I still feel depressed and lonely.

There are people who wonder
how you've been doing during your hiatus.

In short, it's been really tough for me,
both psychologically and physically.

The psychological stress
has taken a toll on my body.

I can't really do anything.

It's hard enough to take care of myself,

but I have to make sure
my kid goes to school and eats.

So to do those things,
I have to focus all my attention on her.

And after sending her to school,
I'm completely exhausted.

But then I have to do the housework.

Washing dishes and cleaning
makes me even more tired.

That's how it is every day.

FOR 6 YEARS,
HE'S HAD TO FORGET ABOUT THE STAGE

Haven't you missed singing on stage?
Your last concert was in 2016.

To be honest, I haven't.

I mean...

I was afraid of the stage.

I used to have no problem
singing after a long hiatus,

no matter how long it was.

I had this blind confidence.

I was like, "I'm Yim Jae-beum.
Of course I can do this."

But now that I'm older, it scares me.

It even terrified me at one point.

I guess

my lack of confidence
kept me from going back on stage.

It was almost like

a panic disorder
triggered by a fear of the stage.

Even though I was aware of all that,

I couldn't help myself.

It was so hard to overcome.

Music and singing became too challenging
for me to pursue.

Now I'm trying

to free myself from that mindset.

I'm moving forward slowly,
taking one baby step at a time.

THAT'S HOW HE STARTED
GETTING HIMSELF OUT THERE AGAIN

Here we go.

Hello.

Are you alone, sir?

Yes.

It's Yim Jae-beum! I can't believe this!

My gosh!

I listened to your songs a lot
in middle school and high school.

-Thank you.
-I listened to "Confession" all the time.

-I can't believe I'm talking with you now.
-Oh, come on.

YIM HASN'T HAD A HAIRCUT
IN OVER FOUR YEARS

-Let's...
-Yes.

-You can take it off.
-I'll just take off my hat.

Look at my hair.

It's quite long.

It's messy, as I didn't take care of it.

How long have you been growing it?

Four and a half years, I guess.

For real?

-You haven't cut it once in that time?
-No.

Wow. Have a seat, please.

Okay.

Are you nervous?

I'm having mixed feelings about this.

I think I'm more nervous.

Let me brush your hair first.

My gosh.

I'll start cutting it now.

Sure.

Here we go.

All right.

-I wish you only the best from now on.
-Thank you.

-I did it!
-Goodness gracious.

Good riddance.

You already look good, sir.

Sorry?

You're already looking good.

-All right.
-You look cool.

I look like Mr. Choi Bul-am.

No, I don't think so.

-You want your beard all gone?
-Yes, shave it clean, please.

-Have you been growing it out for a while?
-Yes.

For quite some time.

Let me help you sit up.

Goodness.

-Do you like this style?
-I do.

I love it.

Do I look older?

You look younger.

Really?

That's good.

We've prepared something
to help you stay on schedule.

-It's a gift.
-What gift?

A GIFT FOR HIM

What...

Is this an assignment?

-May I open it?
-Sure.

What is it?

Is this the time that's left?

-That's right.
-So I have 505 days left?

-It's 505 hours, sir.
-I see.

So I have 505 hours.

I'll make sure to be prepared by then.

THE SHOW STARTS WHEN IT HITS 000:00:00

Such pressure!

Jeez.

I'm shaking.

THE TIME THAT STOPPED
6 YEARS AGO IS TICKING AGAIN

This represents an untold reality
of our society.

-Let's go there.
-Sure.

You're doing this for the first time.

-Right?
-Yes.

After 35 years.

HELLO, I'M YIM JAE-BEUM, THE SINGER

Oh, my God!

I've got goosebumps.
What a treat!

I feel so honored.

It doesn't get better than this.

Do I really get to see him?

THE ONE BEST PERFORMANCE
WHAT DOES HE WANT FOR HIS TAKE 1?

I guess people visit this place often now.

There was nothing here in the past.

-Nothing but a skating rink.
-Right.

But look how much it's changed.

There's Dr. Noh.

Thank you.

No worries.

Hello!

-How have you been?
-Good, sir.

NOH GYEONG-HWAN
GUITARIST/BANDMASTER

-I haven't seen you in so long.
-Indeed.

It's good to see you doing well.

SHIN WON-GYU
YIM'S CONCERT DIRECTOR FOR 10 YEARS

Let's do this.

Now that I'm old, my singing is rusty.

-Come on.
-My skills are gone.

-What? I don't believe it.
-They're gone.

NO SMOKING IN THE STUDIO

It looks good in here. Hi, everyone.

THE FIRST BAND PRACTICE IN 6 YEARS

Let's do "The Flight" and "Desperado."

-Shall we give them a try?
-Yes.

I can barely remember the lyrics.

It's been too long.

God, help me!

Everyone.

Let's do "Desperado."

-Yes.
-Sixty-seven.

-Yes, sir.
-Yes.

Going into the studio,
my first thought was,

"I hope my singing voice comes out okay."

"What if it doesn't?"

That was my biggest concern.

Starting from the top.

I wondered, "Can he put down his burdens..."

PARK KI-DUK
MUSIC PRODUCER

"...and sing like he did before?"

On the one hand,
I was looking forward to it.

And on the other...

I was nervous. That was how I felt.

Ready, everyone?

-Ready!
-Yes!

"DESPERADO" PERFORMED BY YIM JAE-BEUM
ORIGINAL SONG BY EAGLES

How long has it been since I sang this?
I don't even remember.

HIS FIRST TIME SINGING IN 6 YEARS

I felt nostalgic.

This is where I belonged,
and my heart is racing.

It reminded me of who I was.

I WAS A SINGER

"Right, I was a singer."

I felt like I was going on a journey
back to where I was before.

It was great, sir.

Don't lie to me, please.

I mean it.

Let's do "The Flight" now.

BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SONG

-Let's go.
-Okay.

Hold on, Dr. Noh.

-Just a second.
-Sure.

I lost all the air inside me.

Hold on.

I'm ready now.

Okay.

-Let's do "The Flight."
-Yes.

"The Flight." Okay, let's go.

"THE FLIGHT"
YIM JAE-BEUM

Everyone experiences the moment

When they become engrossed
In their own world

But I failed to return to where I was

As I didn't know the way back

With too many thoughts
And too many concerns

I locked myself in

Now even I find myself uneasy

Since I don't know where to start

I want to go out into the world

I need to proudly show my dreams

My wings have been recoiled for so long

I want to spread them wide

And fly in the sky

HE'S FEELING THE WEIGHT
OF THE 6-YEAR HIATUS

I can't hold my breath for as long,

which was why I felt challenged
while singing.

I wanted to pull it off perfectly,

but I failed to control my pace.

This is quite embarrassing.

I feel a little frustrated
about how my singing went.

HIS FEAR OF PERFORMING
CRAWLS BACK

If you had just one chance
to give the best performance of your life,

how would you like it to be?

STILL, HE WANTS TO BE
ON STAGE AGAIN

I've been on every stage
I've ever wanted to be on.

I've made all
of my musical wishes come true.

So I don't really have
a dream stage in mind.

As I'm going through
the harsh realities of life...

I can't help but think of others

more than myself these days.

HE DECIDES TO BE COURAGEOUS FOR OTHERS

So I was thinking about
what I can give them...

and then I realized...

THOSE HE WANTS TO INVITE

The COVID situation
has become serious these days.

Even today, 27,000 people tested positive.

Things are getting serious,
and so many people are struggling.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC
DEATH TOLL TOPS 6 MILLION

RESTRICTED AREA

I'd like to invite those people,
including nurses,

firefighters,
emergency medical technicians

and the self-employed.

I'd like to invite them if I can

and give them the only thing I can,
which is my singing,

to lift their spirits and encourage them.

That is the performance I'd like to give.

WHAT IS THE TAKE 1 SONG HE PICKED
TO PERFORM FOR THEM?

"THIS, TOO, SHALL PASS" (2012)
THE TITLE TRACK OF HIS 6TH ALBUM

A SONG FOR THOSE
GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES

TEARS AND MISERY
THIS, TOO, SHALL PASS

TOGETHER WITH YOU

UNTIL MY VERY END

I sang this song
at the end of my last concert.

Back then, my wife was ill,
and she was my priority.

So it captured my personal wishes
of wanting her illness to pass.

But this time, it's completely different.

Just like the song's message
"This, too, shall pass,"

I want to wish everyone well
as I sing this song.

AFTER BAND PRACTICE

Let's order different dishes and share.

Jjajangmyeon is Yim's favorite.

I guess I had it too often.

I've never heard of you having jjamppong.

-That's right.
-You always go with jjajangmyeon?

I used to eat jjajangmyeon
whenever I recorded or performed.

Then I changed to bulgogi
as I needed more energy.

I would eat jjajangmyeon three times a day

while working with him.

He joined me without complaining.

-Let's eat.
-Yes.

-Enjoy your meal.
-Enjoy.

THEIR FIRST JJAJANGMYEON TOGETHER
IN 6 YEARS

-How is it, sir?
-Very good.

The noodles are great.

February 14th, 2016, was the last time
we performed with you.

-So it's been six, seven years?
-Six years.

So, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.

-Six years.
-Exactly six years.

-It's been exactly six years.
-Right.

Even though you've been away
for such a long time,

when you sang "Desperado" earlier,

it took me right back
to your concert tour in the past.

-I'm not as strong.
-Well...

I think you will be
if you practice just a little more.

I've lost my tiger energy.

You can get it back.

We believe you can.

I'll eat Frosted Flakes on Wednesday.

Oh, right.

I have a question about that day.

-Let's say I start singing.
-Yes.

But I don't like it myself.

Do I get a second chance?

-The show doesn't allow it.
-No?

You only get one chance.

TAKE 1 GIVES YOU JUST ONE SHOT

I'm in trouble.

You're betting everything
on that one chance.

For a singer,
a one-take performance is nerve-racking.

-Even when you feel ready and well.
-Tell me about it.

The same applies to every band member.

Knowing that you have only one chance...

-It makes you nervous.
-It's a lot of pressure.

JUST ONE PERFORMANCE
WITH ONE ATTEMPT ALLOWED

Where would you like to sing
for the people you're inviting?

Where? Let me think...

It doesn't have to be
at a studio or on a stage.

It can be anywhere,
including somewhere outdoors.

For example,

it can be on a rooftop
or at a redevelopment site.

That would be okay too.

They say this apartment is very old,

but it'll be redeveloped
into a brand-new apartment.

In a way,

its old and quaint charm
represents our current situation.

So it seems to fit the message

this song is trying to deliver to people.

I felt good about choosing it.

Hello, is it this way?

Can I take a moment to look around?

Hello.

It's my first rooftop performance.

Is everything fine with the monitors?

Let's check everything right away.

All right.

The guitar should be in front.

I'd like it to come up a bit more.

-A little more?
-Yes, just a bit more.

No, I don't mean it's placement.

For the first time in 35 years,

I get to sing outdoors
and have this experience.

I'm half-worried and half-excited.

I feel quite overwhelmed.

-Shall we start?
-Sure.

When I was going through difficult days

You were always there

Even though my life
Was filled with faults

You held my hand

That moment...

brought me back to the old days.

The days when I lost my wife,

and then...

when my father passed away.

Those memories came back,
and I got choked up.

I used to think

that I sang this song
to deliver a message to people.

But I've realized
that it also sends me a message.

The message that this, too, will pass,

and that I need to do something
to overcome what I've been through.

It's a new perspective.

THE MESSAGE I WANTED TO GIVE MYSELF,
"THIS, TOO, SHALL PASS"

We have three minutes until Yim arrives.

Get your cameras ready.

Here he comes.

Hello, thank you for coming.

Hello.

Hello, welcome.

You must be freezing.

Where should I sit?

You can sit wherever you'd like to.

Wherever you find comfortable.

Hello, ma'am.

Thank you for inviting me.

I'm sorry
the seats aren't more comfortable.

Shall I sit in front?

Sure, sit wherever
you're most comfortable.

Whatever you find
to be the most comfortable.

I guess everyone is here now.

Let me introduce myself.

I'm Yim Jae-beum, the singer.

Nice to meet you all.

The sound of applause feels unfamiliar,
as it's been six years.

This all feels new to me.

Thank you so much for coming.

I thought hard about who to invite.

As many are suffering
because of this COVID-19 crisis,

I've invited those who are fighting
against it on the front lines.

I know you're having a hard time,

but you all need to be proud of yourselves
for having done so much

to power through it.

THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH
THE COLDEST WINTER

I've seen many people die of COVID-19.

LEE GEUN-HYEOP
PARAMEDIC

I feel burnt out quite often,
as it's not an easy job.

We've been working for about three years
at a COVID-dedicated unit.

LEE SEUNG-HEE
NURSE

It's been emotionally challenging
for me to see many nurses getting hurt.

So many shops are closed.
Almost all the shops around here.

THANK YOU
CLOSED ON AUG. 25, 2021

People stopped coming
to the Myeong-dong area.

So I closed my store,
only to open it again recently.

I guess we're hanging by a thread.

SEONG MI-JEONG
SELF-EMPLOYED WORKER

The losses have grown to 70%.

OH IN-TAE
SELF-EMPLOYED WORKER

As the sales go down,
my debt keeps increasing.

It has hit me quite hard.

JO HYEON-GYEOM
THEATER ACTOR

All those performance tours
and scheduled events were canceled.

I only perform
a couple of times a year now.

HEE JAE
KOREAN CLASSICAL MUSICIAN

More and more people
are getting their food delivered,

so my workload has more than doubled.

I was pushed to my limits
and thought about quitting my job.

I asked myself that question
many times every day.

NOH DANIEL
SANITATION ENGINEER

"Should I quit?"

I have to say

I'm getting exhausted.

YUN SEONG
COURIER

I've been working so hard
for the last two years.

After all, we know

that this will pass eventually,
but we just don't know when.

Although it's tough now,
we tell ourselves, "This will pass."

THIS, TOO, SHALL PASS

Even now, standing in front of the mike

makes me feel awkward and nervous...

but I'll overcome it.

I'm the only one who can overcome it.

It's a tough time for everyone.

Sometimes the loneliness of the city
and the harsh reality...

makes you feel small.

Right now, you might feel...

like you're walking down a long tunnel.

But the fact...

that you have someone standing by you

helps you to keep moving forward.

Think of someone who's precious to you.

And remember,
"This, too, shall pass."

THIS, TOO, SHALL PASS
YIM JAE-BEUM

When I was going through difficult days

You were always there

Even though my life
Was filled with faults

You held my hand

You walked the same path of pain as me

With a trust
That looked upon the same dreams

As I hold your hand

Through the endless storms
Through the rough waves

I have the confidence to run into them

Tears and misery

This, too, shall pass

Together with you

Until my very end

You walked the same path of pain as me

With a trust
That looked upon the same dreams

As I hold your hand

Through the endless storms
Through the rough waves

I have the confidence to run into them

Tears and misery

This, too, shall pass
Together with you

Until my very end

With the heart that says I can do it

With the wordless strength
That picks me up after I fall

Even if I'm standing
On top of a razor-filled path

Through the endless storms
Through the rough waves

I have the confidence to run into them

Tears and misery

This, too, shall pass
Together with you

Until my very end

Until the end

Of our lives

Thank you for coming today.

Singing is...

TO ME, SINGING IS

At first, it was my purpose in life.

Secondly, it made me very happy.

Thirdly,

it's become a weightless burden.

A burden I need to deal with.

TO ME, SINGING IS A WEIGHTLESS BURDEN

"This, too, shall pass."

That's what I wanted to hear,
and I heard it from this song.

It gave me so much comfort.

I'm glad that it gave us the strength
we needed to carry on.

You gave me so much comfort.

I'm glad.

Just by your existence.

Thank you. Take care.

Thank you so much for coming back.

I'd love to see you on stage again.

-Thank you.
-Sure.

Take care.

I was thinking of

introducing myself as a "former singer."

But...

People said, "It made me happy.
Thank you for singing for us,"

as they held on to my hand,
which made me so grateful.

ME AS A SINGER

I'm not a great singer or anything,

but I heard
that some people were waiting for me.

For them,

I sang as best as I could.

I hope in the future,
people remember me as a singer.

And it would be great
if people told my daughter,

"Your dad was a good singer."
It would mean a lot to me.