Memorial Service for Korean Singer Held at Asan Hospital Amid Condolences from Family and Fellow Singers
Tae Jin-ah: "A Singer Remembered Forever, Will Remain a Great Star"
Singer Hyun Chul (82, Kang Sang-woo), who appeared like a comet in the 1980s and comforted the public's sorrow with his songs, passed away on the 18th, becoming a star in the sky as his lyrics foretold.
The funeral ceremony for the late Hyun Chul was held that morning at the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in Seoul. About 70 people, including family members and fellow singers, attended the ceremony held amid heavy rain and bad weather.
Singers Seol Woon-do, Jin Sung, and Kim Yong-im served as joint funeral committee chairs. The ceremony, conducted as a Republic of Korea singer’s funeral, proceeded with a moment of silence for the deceased and an introduction of his biography by singer Bae Il-ho.
Park Sang-chul read a eulogy, quoting the first line of the late’s hit song "Bongseonhwa Yeonjeong." Park recalled, "I respect the teacher who always emphasized the pride and purity that entertainers should have and tried to make the atmosphere around him joyful."
Following this, Tae Jin-ah read a memorial speech, saying, "He left behind a kind and sensitive image and a name, and he will remain a great star remembered forever by all of us as a singer." He concluded with a final farewell, "Goodbye. Hyun Chul hyung, I loved you."
Seol Woon-do sobbed continuously while reading his memorial speech, creating a solemn atmosphere. He said, "I tried not to cry so that you could leave smiling, hyung, but tears come. You were a patriot who comforted the people’s sorrows and pains through your songs. Everyone will never forget your love, hyung, and will remember you forever."
Park Gu-yoon, who called Hyun Chul his "big uncle," sang a funeral song by adapting the late’s representative song "Sitting or Standing, Thinking of You" into "Sitting or Standing, Thinking of Hyun Chul." He is the son of composer Park Hyun-jin, who created "Bongseonhwa Yeonjeong," and had a special bond with the late since childhood.
When Park Gu-yoon sang the lines, "I begged you not to go, but you left without seeing me / Even if I shout, it’s no use," sobbing sounds echoed throughout the funeral hall.
After screening a stage video of the late singing "Ami Bird," a flower offering ceremony was held. The deceased left the funeral hall accompanied by family members and fellow singers.
Hyun Chul passed away on the 15th at the age of 82.
During the funeral period, fellow singers and entertainers such as Tae Jin-ah, Seol Woon-do, Park Sang-chul, Hyun Sook, Kim Heung-guk, Jang Yoon-jung, and broadcaster Lee Sang-byeok visited the mourning hall to pay their respects.
The late debuted in 1966 under the name "Tae Hyun-chul" and left hit songs such as "Love Must Be a Butterfly" and "Name Tag of Love."
After over 20 years of obscurity, he began solo activities in his mid-40s. His 1986 release "My Heart Is Like a Star" became a hit the following year, and his 1988 release "Bongseonhwa Yeonjeong" gained unprecedented popularity, propelling him into the ranks of top singers.
He enjoyed his prime by winning the KBS "Music Awards" grand prize in 1989, followed by another grand prize in 1990 with the hit "I Hate It, I Hate It," achieving two consecutive years of top honors. Along with Tae Jin-ah, Song Dae-kwan, and Seol Woon-do, he was called one of the "Four Great Emperors of Trot," leading the trot revival era of the 1980s and 1990s.
Recognized for his contributions to the music industry, he received the Republic of Korea Entertainment Arts Special Merit Award and the Order of Cultural Merit, Ok-gwan. The late will be interred at Bundang Memorial Park in Gyeonggi Province.
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