X Factor Australia champ Dami Im returns home

Korean-born Australian singer Dami Im, best known as last year’s winner of The X Factor Australia, has returned to Korea for the first time since she was crowned.

“I feel extremely grateful that I get to come back to Korea, which is where I was born and raised, where my parents come from,” said Im during a media showcase Wednesday at the Bear Hall in Gangnam-gu.

“It’s good to be back to my roots ... I’m genuinely very happy to be here today.” 

Im opened the showcase with a piano-accompanied rendition of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge over Troubled Water,” which she dedicated to the families of the victims of the Sewol ferry tragedy.

Im said that she had come to Korea for two reasons: to film her home country as part of a documentary about her life, and to promote her single “Super Love,” to be released May 16.

“To me, this single (‘Super Love’) represents my first single, not as the winner of X Factor, but as my first single as a professional musician,” said Im. “Through this song I wish to project an image of confidence, hope and one full of positivity. The song is full of fun and positive energy and I think that makes it stand out from other songs out there. ... I hope that people’s moods improve after listening to it.”

Im also went on to express her hope of increasing her profile and activities in Korea.

“If given the opportunity I also have my heart set on one day being able to release a Korean album,” she added.

The 25-year-old singer moved to Australia with her family at the age of 9 while her father stayed in Korea to support his family. After winning the singing competition, she released her platinum-selling single “Alive,” followed by her debut album, becoming the first X Factor Australia contestant to follow up a No. 1 single with a No. 1 album on the ARIA Charts.

“Moving to Australia, I was just a normal person, so my life has definitely changed since I won X Factor,” she said. “I will continue to do my best in being a great representative Korean artist in Australia.”

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)