MC Mong (MC 몽) (born on September 4, 1979) is a South Korean hip hop artist. He was formerly a member of People Crew, which debuted in 1998. But because he was overshadowed by other “pretty members” in his group, it was not until 2003, MC Mong began to gain popularity when he acted in MBC’s Non-Stop 4. His albums are known mostly for their comedic styles (aided by humorous music videos), although his most recent album has taken on a slightly more serious tone. His nickname is “monkey”, due to his resemblance to the animal; most Korean variety shows reference this. On a fall of 2006 episode of SBS’s Ya Shim Man Man, he and his good friend Haha talked about their struggles when they were first trying to break into the industry. His parents had fought against him, telling him that he should not try to become a celebrity[citation needed]. However, upon reaching success, it was later revealed that he is the ultimate Hyo-ja (효자: a dutiful and devoted son). He claims to not knowing how much income he rakes in amid numerous TV ads, TV spots (most notably 1박2일), music albums and related ventures such as ringtones. The reason for his obvliviousness is not due to lack of professional character, but rather displayed by the kind of close relationship he shares between his mother, whom keeps the books. He has also shared with the public that his success had lifted his family from the hard times often marked by debts.
MC Mong’s style falls into both the k-pop and Hip-hop genre. On top of his own rapping, MC Mong’s songs frequently feature guest vocalists. For his third album, MC Mong flew to Tokyo, Japan to record a duet with Lisa, a former member of m-flo. MC Mong wanted a female vocalist to continue the sequel from his first album’s “A Letter To You” which featured Lyn. Other female vocalists featured in his album are Park Hyo Shin, Ivy, and Maybee.
In 2006, he proved his talents as a solo artist with his latest album The Way I Am. This album topped the charts on November 19, 2006, beating out “big names” like Rain and Se7en.
His public character was drastically developed through a very popular TV show in Korea called 1박2일 (1 night 2 days). |
