🇰🇷 Reacting to Kang Hyung Ho - “The Phantom of The Opera” | Forestella Phantom Singer 2

Kang Hyung-ho, also known by his stage name PITTA, is indeed a remarkable figure in the South Korean music scene. Born on March 8, 1988, he is a member of the crossover quartet Forestella⁸⁹. His journey to fame is quite unique as he was a chemical engineer before he became a professional singer.
Kang is a native of Busan and had aspired to be a musician since childhood. However, due to his parents' opposition, he focused on his studies instead⁸. He was admitted to Pusan National University on a scholarship and eventually graduated with a degree in chemical engineering⁸. After completing his mandatory military service and graduating from college, he worked for Lotte BP (now Lotte INEOS) in research and development⁸. During his tenure at Lotte, he co-authored at least one chemical patent and several research papers. Despite his career in a major corporate company, Kang continued to pursue his musical interests as the main vocalist and guitarist with PITTA, a rock band he had formed together with his friends as college students⁸. They continued to play even after graduating and working. In 2016, they gained local celebrity status after winning the Busan Employees' Band Competition for amateur musicians. Kang heard about JTBC holding auditions for the second season of Phantom Singer and decided to apply⁸. Of the 32 contestants who passed the preliminary screening, he was the only one without any formal training in singing or the performing arts⁸. He sang "The Phantom of the Opera" for the televised audition in front of the panel of judges and sang Christine Daaé and the Phantom's parts himself in both the countertenor and his natural tenor registers⁸. The video uploaded to Naver went viral immediately and garnered several million views by the final.
Prior to the final of Phantom Singer 2, Kang was grouped together with Bae Doo-hoon, Cho Min-kyu, and Ko Woo-rim to form Forestella⁸. They eventually won the competition and debuted on March 14, 2018⁸. Kang signed as a solo artist with Arts & Artists, which had also managed Forestella as a group until June 2021⁸. In October 2020, he made his debut release with the digital single "Universe" under the stage name PITTA⁸. It was the name of the band he had been part of from his amateur days and he chose to use it as a homage to his members. Kang's performance of "The Phantom of the Opera" during the Phantom Singer 2 auditions was particularly notable⁵⁶⁷. He sang both the male and female parts of the song, showcasing his unique vocal range⁵⁶⁷. This performance shocked the judges and left a strong impression on viewers⁵⁶⁷.Kang's journey from a chemical engineer to a renowned singer is truly inspiring. His passion for music and his dedication to his craft have led him to achieve great success in the music industry⁸⁹. His story serves as a reminder that it's never too late to pursue your dreams⁸⁹.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 1/30/2024
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