Singer releases new album after being cleared in scandal

“I hope the people who are having a hard time and lonely to be soothed and eased of their burdens while listening to my music. I also hope the people who hate me to be consoled by my music if they face times of trouble.”

Singer Tablo, 31, who suspended music career due to false rumors suggesting that he had fabricated his educational background, has made a public statement for the first time since the controversy erupted.

Having released his first album in two years and his first solo album, “Fever’s End (Yeolkkot)” early this month, the singer spoke to The Dong-A Ilbo at YG Entertainment in Seoul Thursday.

“As I went through times of trouble, I came to realize what the valuable things are and who the valuable people are, which I should help protect,” he said. "As time goes by, hatred and anger all but dissipated, and I only came to gain gratitude.”

His new album consists of two parts and they ranked fifth and second, respectively, in the Billboard World Album Chart of the U.S. as of Sunday. Tablo is the first Korean to make the top 10 with two songs in the same category of the Billboard chart.

He sued for defamation and contempt operators and 22 members of Tajinyo, an Internet café, which raised suspicion in August last year that Tablo fabricated his education at Stanford University.

Korean police announced the result of their investigation in October last year, saying, “We confirmed that Tablo graduated from Stanford University.”

The trial for Tajinyo begins on Dec. 16.

Tablo said, “I feel fortunate that it was me. I thought what would`ve happened if such an incident occurred to someone not as mentally strong as me. I didn`t feel anger and hatred (so deeply). Frankly, those with anger and hatred are the people who raise suspicion and engage in dispute."

As the lead singer of the band Epic High, Tablo was widely envied by others in being the graduate of a prestigious American university until the dispute over his educational background arose. He said he could carry on and endure thanks to support of his wife and his daughter.

The title of his new album “Fever’s End” stems from his experience of seeing his daughter, who showed red eruptions on her entire body due to fever early this year. “I thought that `red eruptions` that appear when pain peaks might be a signal that hardship is ending," he said.

“I was selfish when I was popular. But since I was deprived of something, I`ve realized what I should protect. I feel happy now.”

On if he has healed from the damage caused by the rumors over his educational background, he said, “Cure means returning to the situation before people get hurt, and this is not the case for me. A part of me might`ve disappeared for good.”

kej09@donga.com