Yoon Soo-il Reflects on His Career and the Resurgence of 'A.P.T.'

Legendary singer-songwriter Yoon Soo-il shared an anecdote about being banned from broadcasts during his career.

On the October 25th episode of MBN's 'Kim Joo-ha's Day & Night,' Yoon Soo-il, celebrating his 50th debut anniversary, appeared as a guest.

Yoon Soo-il discussed his hit song 'A.P.T.', which has seen a resurgence 42 years after its release. He explained that the unique spelling 'A.P.T.' was his own creation and that the song was inspired by the sparse apartments near Jamsil Bridge in 1982.

Yoon Soo-il recounted a moment when he was banned from all media after challenging the camera work during a performance of 'A.P.T.' He explained that his disagreement was seen as a challenge to the production team's authority. Despite this setback, Yoon Soo-il promoted the song by visiting music listening rooms across the country, which helped the song gain popularity. He also revealed that the iconic 'ding-dong' intro was inspired by the sound of a yogurt lady's doorbell.

In 2024, the song 'A.P.T.' experienced a revival thanks to a global hit version by Rosé and Bruno Mars. Yoon Soo-il expressed his gratitude to Rosé, saying, "I am extremely thankful," and humorously noted, "It was the perfect timing for a reconstruction," referring to his new nickname 'Reconstruction Chairman' given by the MZ generation.

The show also highlighted Yoon Soo-il's iconic sunglasses from the 80s, prompting the hosts to dub him the '80s GD.' The 'Ddong Brothers,' Moon Se-yoon and Jo Jae-joo, joined Yoon Soo-il in an enthusiastic performance of 'Hwangholhan Confession,' known for its synchronized dance.

Yoon Soo-il also discussed his song 'Beautiful,' considered a pioneer of city pop among the MZ generation. He revealed it was created with the 'Miss Korea Pageant' in mind. Yoon Soo-il proudly recalled giving flowers to contestants like Go Hyun-jung and Oh Hyun-jung, who all won titles, and recreated the 'flower performance' for Kim Joo-ha, bringing a smile to her face.

Tae Yuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr