11th Anniversary of "Demon King" Shin Haechul: President Lee Says, "An Artist and the Conscience of His Era"

"I Believe His Message Will Continue to Light Our Path"

President Lee Jaemyung, marking the 11th anniversary (October 27) of the passing of singer Shin Haechul (1968-2014), known as the “Demon King,” described him as “an iconic figure who was both a musician and a conscience of his era-someone who inspired young people to think critically and gave older generations the courage to reflect.”

On the 26th, President Lee wrote on Facebook, “The questions he posed to the world were never light,” adding, “He confronted issues that no one could easily answer and faced the imperfect realities everyone tried to ignore, urging us to choose courage over fear.”

President Lee continued, “Singer Shin Haechul reached out to those who were isolated through his music and walked alongside the wounded. His life prompts us to revisit the fundamental question, ‘Can art change the world?’ The words of the late actor Robert Redford, who passed away last month-‘It is art, not politics, that truly holds the power to heal’-come to mind.”

President Lee went on to say, “The free and just world he dreamed of-a community where no one is left behind-remains a task before us. I believe the message of his life will continue to shine a light on the path we must take.”

Shin Haechul / Photo by KCA

Previously, on the 23rd, photographer Kang Youngho drew attention by posting a photo titled “Shin Haechul and Lee Jaemyung” on his social media, showing President Lee wearing one of Shin Haechul’s stage costumes. Kang, who worked on President Lee’s campaign poster for the 2022 presidential election, explained, “After the photo shoot for the campaign poster in 2022, candidate Lee personally accepted my request and wore a stage costume of Shin Haechul, which I had kept as a memento.”

Kang explained that he had been keeping all of Shin Haechul’s stage costumes at the request of Shin’s wife, Yoon Wonhee. In 2021, Kang published a photo book of quotes and images titled “Now Is Lee Jaemyung,” a title that President Lee also used as his campaign slogan in this year’s presidential election.