Passed away on the 20th in hometown Ganghwa while battling cerebral infarction
"Thought he would recover" Public mourns in the entertainment industry
"Don't ask my age. Don't ask my name. This is a life that has fluttered here and there."
"All human affairs in the world are, all are futile. Life that comes and goes fleetingly is like a cloud..." (From 'Seoul Tango')
Singer Bang Sil-i (real name Bang Young-soon), who gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s with songs like 'Seoul Tango' and 'First Train,' passed away at the age of 61 on the 20th after battling a stroke for 17 years at a nursing home in her hometown, Ganghwa, Incheon. Fellow performers who sang with her on stage mourned her loss.
Bang Sil-i began her career in the 1980s performing at the US 8th Army base and in 1985, she was active as part of the female trio Seoul Sisters with Park Jin-sook and Yang Jeong-hee. Hits included 'First Train' (1986), 'Ship's Horn' (1987), and 'Youth Train' (1988). In 1989, some members got married, leading to the disbandment of Seoul Sisters. Afterwards, Bang Sil-i transitioned to a solo career in 1990, releasing songs such as 'Seoul Tango' (1990) and 'A Woman's Heart' (1992). Due to personal reasons, she briefly left the entertainment industry in 1994 but returned in the 2000s, releasing 'What is it, What is it' (2002) and 'Ah! Sarubia' (2005). In 2007, she was diagnosed with a stroke.
In 2022, Bang Sil-i appeared on TV Chosun's 'Star Docu My Way,' revealing her condition during her illness. She looked at photos from her prime days posted in her hospital room and said, "I believed I would be like that again in a year, but the illness did not heal... I thought I would sing again, but I did not expect time to pass like this," expressing her regret. In April last year, she appeared on the same program with her longtime close friend Lee Dong-jun, revealing that after paralysis from the stroke, she had nearly lost her eyesight due to diabetic retinopathy, evoking sympathy.
The popular culture community is in a somber mood. When Bang Sil-i collapsed from a stroke in 2007, colleagues and seniors such as Hyun-sook, who along with Insooni and others contributed tens of millions of won, as well as Song Dae-gwan, Lee Dong-jun, Kim Heung-guk, and Hyun Dang, mourned the deceased, saying, "She had a strong will and did her best in rehabilitation. We thought she would rise again, so it is heartbreaking."
[Image source=Screen capture from TV Chosun's 'Star Documentary My Way' (hereafter 'My Way') featuring Lee Dong-jun, aired in April last year]
Fans who loved Bang Sil-i's songs are also mourning online, leaving messages such as "I vividly remember her singing healthily and energetically; I can't believe it," "Bang Sil-i may have left, but I will remember her songs," and "She must have struggled through a long illness; may she rest peacefully in heaven."
The deceased's funeral is being held at Room 101 of the Chamsarang Funeral Hall in Ganghwa-gun, Incheon. The funeral procession will be at 12 PM on the 22nd. The burial site has not been disclosed.
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