Tack Jae-hoon Reveals the Untold Story Behind Country Kko Kko's Formation

Tack Jae-hoon, known for his role in 'Jjanhyung', shared the behind-the-scenes story of forming the duo Country Kko Kko.

On October 2, Tack Jae-hoon appeared alongside Lee Sang-min and Kim Jun-ho on the YouTube channel 'Jjanhyung Shin Dong-yup'.

During the show, Lee Sang-min reminisced about his time with the group Roo'ra, revealing, "The producer made 7 billion won in cash back then." He also mentioned suggesting the formation of the male duo group Country Kko Kko to the then-unknown singer Tack Jae-hoon, saying, "You have to do it with Shin Jung-hwan," but Tack Jae-hoon cut off contact.

In an era when selling 200,000 albums was the norm, Tack Jae-hoon struggled to sell 4,000 copies despite appearing on 40 broadcasts. He admitted, "I didn't want to pursue a solo career, but they insisted I team up with Shin Jung-hwan," explaining why he initially rejected the idea.

However, as his career stalled and credit card bills piled up, Tack Jae-hoon reconsidered and asked Lee Sang-min, "How much are you thinking for the contract?" thus revealing the story behind Country Kko Kko's formation.

Tack Jae-hoon began his career with a contract worth 15 million won. He recalled, "I thought it would disband soon. We released 'Oh Happy' in 1997, but there were no offers for eight months. Eventually, the production company decided to disband Country Kko Kko. Fortunately, I had paid off my credit card debt by then, so I expected it."

Country Kko Kko was set to disband after their final schedule on 'Good Friends'. Tack Jae-hoon told Shin Jung-hwan, "Do whatever you want for the last time, and I'll do the same." He reminisced, "It was a so-called 'chaotic' performance, but MC Nam Hee-seok found it hilarious. I thought he was laughing because it was our last show."

After their comedic performance, Country Kko Kko's music gained attention, leading to a surge in broadcast and event invitations. Tack Jae-hoon shared, "For a year, I would sleep at 3 AM, and my manager would pick me up at 6:30 AM. I would sleep with cash in my pocket, and it would just keep coming."

Lee Sang-min, the copyright holder of Country Kko Kko's songs, receives royalties every winter from 'Happy Christmas'. Tack Jae-hoon humorously criticized him, calling him "sneaky," eliciting laughter.

Meanwhile, Tack Jae-hoon recently built another house in Jeju Island, revealing, "I had some unused land, so I built a second house. It was always my dream to have two homes in Jeju." Lee Sang-min commented, "You're such a pitiful person. If a woman says she likes you, you lose your mind," drawing attention.

By Eun Jung Kim, TenAsia Reporter eun@tenasia.co.kr