Zion.T teams up with music legend

Singer-songwriter Zion.T said Monday that he was honored by industry veteran Lee Moon-sae agreeing to perform a duet with him, praising Lee as a pioneer who defined modern Korean pop music.

“He’s an artist that I dearly love and admire, so I dared myself to ask him. I told him I heard hallucinations of his voice and mine overlapping,” Zion.T told reporters during a media showcase for his new single, “Snow,” at the CGV Cheongdam theater in southern Seoul.

Zion.T, whose real name is Kim Hae-sol, recalled Lee as saying, “I’ve been waiting for this kind of song. Let’s do it.”

Zion.T’s first winter single release in six years, “Snow,” is a sentimental jazz ballad that’s laden with strings and strong vocal harmonies between the two crooners. It’s paired with a cinematic music video starring character actor Ahn Jae-hong.

“When coming up with the song, I wanted to capture the feeling of both excitement and sadness. I wanted to write a song that’s relatable to those currently in love and those who long for a romance that has vanished,” the singer explained.

Having debuted in April 2011 with the song “Click Me,” the 28-year-old star soared to mainstream success through his breakout single “Yanghwa BRDG” in 2014 and later with hits such as “Eat” and “Just.”

His works are acclaimed for their autobiographical lyrics, which many laud for being relatable and authentic. Before Monday’s release, his most recent work was February’s “OO”.

Lee began his music career in 1983 with his debut album, “I Am A Happy Person,” and has released 15 full-length albums to date. Yonhap