SOURCE: 우즈 "필리핀서 돌아가신 父, 아직도 사인을 잘 모른다" ('유퀴즈')[종합]
WOODZ recalled the moment he lost his father while going through the lowest point of his life.
On the episode of tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' aired on the 11th, WOODZ, who created the 'climbing up the chart' sensation with a song he performed during his military service, appeared as a guest.
While serving in the military, WOODZ performed 'Drowning' on 'Immortal Songs,' which later surged in popularity. 'Drowning' set a record for the longest time charting in the weekly TOP 10 and it sill remains in the TOP 10 even now.
WOODZ shared his thoughts, "I didn't expect this to happen either. I think it's unbelievable that the popularity lasted this long." He added, "I watched that video hundreds of times because I was curious." After analyzing it, he concluded that the reason might be the 'reactions' in the video. In the video, there was a soldier who reacted very enthusiastically to his performance. WOODZ revealed, "I actually found that person. I tried to invite him to my concert last year, but he turned me down because he had to study for exams," which made everyone laugh.
In addition, WOODZ also shared that he once studied soccer in Brazil. Despite his mother's opposition, he persuaded her by writing a detailed 'Brazil study plan' and went there alone at the age of 14. He said, "Because I started later and was shorter than others my age, I trained really hard." He continued, "I tried for two years, but it didn't work out. I thought, 'If I can't be the best here, how could I go higher?' I felt like my dream would never come true."
WOODZ continued, "Many people assume that I come from a wealthy family. Actually, my uncle helped a lot with my tuition fees for studying abroad. My parents divorced when I was in elementary school. I often stayed home alone, so I matured quickly. From a young age, I wanted to figure out my dream early." However, he tasted the bitterness of life for the first time at the age of 15.
After soccer, he began considering becoming a singer. WOODZ said, "Korean music programs and variety shows were a source of comfort for me when I lived in Brazil. After thinking about it for a week, I finally told my mother. She initially said, 'Just go back to soccer while I'm still being nice.' When I told her, 'I realized that I don't have the talent for soccer,' she actually seemed relieved."
Later, his mother sent him to an international school in the Philippines to study. He said, "I came back to South Korea every vacation to audition. I think I auditioned about 50 times. I failed SM Entertainment more then 10 times, but I passed YG Entertainment on the first try," revealing how he began his path as a trainee.
After his trainee days, he joined a group formed for activities in China, but their activities were halted because the Korean members were unable to enter China. Around that time, he received the news of his father's passing.
WOODZ said, "To be honest, I still don't know the cause of my father's death until now. I was just told, 'Your father passed away overseas.' My father had been living in the Philippines. I brought his ashes back to South Korea after he was cremated." He continued, "I couldn't believe that my father, who was the greatest person to me, was now inside this tiny thing (urn). It didn't feel real. I sent him off at a temple. I called out his name three times to say goodbye to this world. That's when it hit me that he was no longer part of this world. At the time, I just felt pain. However, as I've gotten older, I feel his absence even more." WOODZ was 21 years old at the time.
Later, he became interested in hip-hop and even participated in 'Show Me The Money 5,' but his footage was completely edited out. WOODZ recalled, "It felt like bad things kept happening. I felt like I wasn't even allowed to do what I wanted anymore, so I thought about quitting." He continued, "That's when my mother said, 'Give up. You've already quit something once. What's so hard about doing it again? If the Singer Cho Seungyoun starts to harm the Person Cho Seungyoun, you can give up anytime. To me, the Person Cho Seungyoun is more important.' Those words are still a great pillar of support in my heart today," touching the audience.
