Singer Han Myeong-sook, who sang 'Nooran Shaseu-ui Sanai,' passes away at 90 years old...

First Hallyu Star Han Myeong-suk Passes Away
Anecdote of "The Man in the Yellow Shirt" Mistaken for the National Anthem

Veteran singer Han Myeong-suk, who was loved for her 1960s hit song 'Nooran Shaseu-ui Sanai' (The Man in the Yellow Shirt), has passed away at the age of 90.

According to the music industry on the 22nd, Han Myeong-suk passed away on this day.

Singer Han Myeong-suk, who dominated the 1960s with the hit song 'Nooran Shaseu-ui Sanai,' passed away on the 22nd at the age of 90. Yonhap News

She was born in 1935 in Jinnampo, Pyeongnam. While attending Jinnampo Second Girls' High School, she joined the Taeyang Opera Troupe and began her singing career on the US 8th Army show stage.

Han Myeong-suk gained attention with her husky voice suited for pop music and was active on the US 8th Army stage. Later, in 1961, she debuted with composer Son Seok-woo's 'Nooran Shaseu-ui Sanai' and gained great popularity. In 1962, a film based on this song was also produced. Directed by Eom Sim-ho, 'Noran Shaseu Ibeun Sanai' (The Man Wearing the Yellow Shirt) attracted 100,000 viewers, and Han Myeong-suk played the lead role in the film.

Provided by Park Seong-seo, popular music critic, Yonhap News Agency

Han Myeong-suk was also recognized as the 'first Hallyu star singer' due to her active overseas activities at the time. She once shared an anecdote that foreign tourists mistakenly thought 'Nooran Shaseu-ui Sanai' was the national anthem.

Afterwards, she continued to release hit songs with composer Son, including 'Uri Maeul' (Our Village), 'Nuni Naerineunde' (It’s Snowing), and 'Sentimental Guitar.' The songs she released during her lifetime totaled over 300, including 'Biryun Sipnyeon' (Ten Years of Tragedy) and 'Sarang-ui Songga' (Hymn of Love). She received the National Culture Medal in 2000 and the KBS Music Awards Achievement Award in 2003.

Despite undergoing two vocal cord surgeries, Han Myeong-suk continued her steady activities until the mid-1980s. In 2013, she made a comeback by releasing the album 'Cheongchun! Geu Areumdawotdeon Naldeul...' (Youth! Those Beautiful Days...) together with Ahn Da-seong and Myeong Guk-hwan.

Music critic Park Seong-seo said, "(With her husky voice) Han Myeong-suk was a singer who marked the turning point from the era of so-called light-voiced singers to the 'era of individuality.' She served as a stimulus for many US 8th Army stage singers to enter the general stage, and was a catalyst for various genres of songs to rise as the mainstream of popular music."