Those who attended the last Atom Music Heart live show now know that at some point during their concerts, Hun Joe always reads a letter that he calls 1%.
The last live concert we were able to attend was on April 16th and this date remains in the memory of Koreans as the anniversary of an unfortunate event, the Sewol Ferry sinking.
Here is the content of his message
(Google😕 translation)
Even when the Sampoong (1) department stores’ collapsed, it did not have a department store.
Even when the Seongsu Bridge(2) collapsed, they did not cross the Han River Bridge.
However, after the Sewol Ferry(3), it is difficult to go to sea.
The noise of the waves is dizzying and annoying.However, I didn’t remember painfully each particular day.
Eat well, drink alcohol, forget about it and live a good life.
Then, suddenly, I was afraid.
I was afraid to forget it completelyAt that time I was looking for a lot of information.
I wanted to understand the situation better.
Then it became blurred.
I kept asking myself what the purpose was.As time goes by, only the regret that I wish the students had survived at that time is evident, and I don’t know the rest.
We are musicians.
I am not a politician, I am not an activist.
I’m careful with words, but grieving is something that anyone in any profession can do.
Such a terrible thing has happened and I hope you will not forget it.
It seems like something we can do to remind people to grieve.[Source] 2022_04_16 Swallow Tea Room 1%Letter|by Amh
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(1) Department shop that collapsed in June 1995 – construction defect-
(2) The arterial road that connects the residential area of Kanan, located in the south of Seoul city, and the city centre – construction defect-
(3) The Sewol sank on 16 April 2014, on its way from Incheon to Jeju -cause as yet unknown-.
The ferry capsized while carrying 476 people, mostly high school students from Danwon High School in Ansan City.
A total of 304 passengers and crew died in the disaster.
Of the 172 survivors, more than half were rescued by fishing boats and other commercial vessels that arrived on the scene some 40 minutes after the South Korean coast guard.
The sinking of the Sewol has caused strong reactions in South Korea.
Accusations have been levelled at the captain and crew members as well as the ferry operator and officials responsible for overseeing the operation.
The Korean government at the time was also accused of an inadequate response to the tragedy and of attempts to minimise its responsibility.
A month after the disaster, the captain and three crew members were charged with murder; eleven other crew members were charged with abandoning ship.
An arrest warrant was issued for the shipowner, but a nationwide manhunt was not successful.
In July 2014, his lifeless body was found 400 km from Seoul. The cause of death is still unexplained.
In November 2014, the captain of the ferry was sentenced to 36 years in prison in the first instance and then to life in prison on appeal. The chief engineer was sentenced to 30 years
[Source] WK