Kim Kwang-seok (
Hangul
The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 김광석 ; January 22, 1964 – January 6, 1996) was a popular and influential South Korean
folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers suc ...
singer. He debuted in 1987 as a member of Noraereul Channeun Saramdeul, an activist folk band. He achieved widespread popularity as a member of the folk band Dongmulwon, which debuted in 1988. The following year, in 1989, he released his first solo album.
His songs were popular for their sentimental lyrics that critics said "portrayed individuals' sorrow and frustration at a time when the society was struggling in its early stage of democracy following rapid industrialization." He sold over 5 million records, an impressive number for a South Korean musical artist.
He ended his own life in 1996.
Early life
Kim Kwang-seok was born on January 22, 1964, in
Daegu
Daegu (, , literally 'large hill', 대구광역시), formerly spelled Taegu and officially known as the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea.
It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; it is ...
, South Korea. He had two older brothers and two older sisters. His family moved to
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
in 1968, after Kim's father lost his job as a teacher due to his involvement in an illegal teachers' union. In elementary school, Kim studied the violin, oboe, and flute, and in high school he joined the choir. In 1982, he enrolled in
Myongji University
Myongji University () is a private, Christian university founded in 1948 in South Korea. It provides higher education in the fields of engineering, sciences and humanities. It has two campuses: the Social Science Campus is located in Seoul and th ...
to study business, during which time he got a part-time job singing at a café. In 1984, Kim joined the
Seoul National University
Seoul National University (SNU; ) is a national public research university located in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1946, Seoul National University is largely considered the most prestigious university in South Korea; it is one of the three "S ...
singing association and took part in
Kim Min-ki's musical play ''Gaettongi'' (개똥이). He
joined the army in 1985, and was discharged following the death of his eldest brother. Kim then returned to school and joined the student activist folk band Noraereul Channeun Saramdeul (노래를 찾는 사람들) in 1987.
Dongmulwon years
In 1988, Kim Kwang-seok and other student musicians formed a folk rock band called Dongmulwon (동물원). The band caught the attention of
Kim Chang-wan
Kim Chang Wan (born February 22, 1954) is a South Korean singer, composer, musician, actor, host, radio DJ and writer.
Career
Sanulrim
Kim Chang-wan, along with his younger brothers Kim Chang-hoon and Kim Chang-ik, began composing music d ...
, the main singer of influential South Korean rock band
Sanulrim
Sanulrim (Hangul: 산울림), also spelled Sanullim, was a South Korean rock band that debuted in 1977. They are considered to be one of South Korea's most influential rock groups. The band consisted of brothers Kim Chang-wan, Kim Chang-hoon, a ...
, who publicly supported Dongmulwon, helping the band become more popular. Kim Kwang-seok released two albums with the band in 1988. Dongmulwon continued to release albums with varying line-ups after Kim's departure. In 2014, a musical about Kim and his years in Dongmulwon, called ''That Summer, Dongmulwon – The Zoo'', debuted in South Korea.
Solo career
Encouraged by the unexpected success of Dongmulwon, Kim Kwang-seok released his first solo album in October 1989. This was followed by another two consecutive albums in 1991 and 1992, in which he made a number of hit songs including 'Love Has Gone' (사랑했지만) and 'Song of My Life' (나의 노래). Unlike many other entertainers, he earned his fame by singing at concerts along with release of records rather than appearing in TV music show. "I'm still unused to the popularity that I gained, but I rather enjoy it." He spoke to reporter after getting off to a flying start, "Nevertheless, I'm also afraid that my confidence in the power of songs to affect people's life is growing weaker, as I prosper." Later, he tried to get closer to audiences by holding more concerts than before. In July 1993, he celebrated the 10th anniversary of his own debut by holding a month-long concert. Also, he released a remake album of Korean folk rock, initiating fads of remake among Korean singers.
With his 4th studio album released in 1994, his musical talent was consummated. This album was monumental not only in his career but also in the history of Korean popular music. He kept singing at concerts, marking a thousand concerts in August 1995. In the same year he made a concert tour around the country, which extended abroad to hold concerts at
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
and
Merkin Concert Hall
Merkin Hall is a 449-seat concert hall in Manhattan, New York City. The hall, named in honor of Hermann and Ursula Merkin, is part of the Kaufman Music Center, a complex that includes the Lucy Moses School, a community arts school, and the Spec ...
in Manhattan. He preferred small concert halls to be in closer contact with audiences, setting a trend of concert in small theatres around
Daehangno
Daehangno (Hangul:대학로 Hanja:, lit. "college street") is a Neighbourhoods of Seoul, neighborhood in Seoul north of the Han River (Korea), Han River within Jongno-gu and Seodaemun-gu.
Formerly known as Sunggyobang (Hangul:숭교방 Hanja:), ...
in Seoul, a Korean equivalent of Broadway.
Death
On January 6, 1996, Kim was found dead in his house around dawn with a cord around his neck. The police deemed it a suicide. However, allegations by his family members were made that it was a murder, all of which were unsubstantiated. Events and projects have been organized in commemoration of Kim Kwang-seok ever since his death. After his death, his daughter died in 2007 and her mother (Kim Kwang-seok's wife) didn't inform anyone of her death.
Legacy
A tribute concert has been held annually by singers across musical genres including rock and roll and hip-hop, and his albums sell steadily, marking 5 million copies as of January 2007. On January 6, 2008, the 12th anniversary of his death, a memorial relief sculpture was unveiled at the concert hall where he held thousands of concerts, drawing many fans who memorialized him. In November 2010, more than twenty artists, designers, and sculptors collectively made a mural to the memory of Kim Kwang-seok in the city of Daegu, where he spent his early years. Critics and reporters have analyzed his legacy and the persistent fervor for his music in numerous articles and books such as 'Biography of Kim Kwang-seok, an unsent message' by Lee Yoon-ock and 'The 100 masterpiece albums of Korean Popular Music' by Park Joon-hum et al. From the perspective of history of Korean popular music, he is the direct descendant as well as the successor of Korean topical folk rock, which was initiated by Han Dae-su and flourished with songs of Kim Min-ki, Jung Tae-choon, and arguably Cho Dong-jin in early 1970s under the rule of the dictator Park Chung Hee, who was in power from 1961 to 1979. However, even though Kim Kwang-seok's music was clearly rooted in social issues in his early years of his career, he also empathized with the sorrow and frustration of individuals, which had been downplayed in the struggle for democracy. Around the late 80s and early 90s, with the improvement of democracy in Korean society, the young generations began to turn their attention from collectivism and community to individualism and experiences of their contemporaries. Kim Kwang-seok illustrated the lives of people with loving eyes, but stayed composed and measured. Lee Joo-yup, a music critic, argues that his songs portrayed individuals who are constantly wavering on the border of pessimism and optimism, but sublimated the self-consciousness that never gives up the strain of facing reality. "Standing in the midst of the darkness of night, I can't see even an inch ahead, where I am going, where I am standing, uselessly looking around, drifting over the river of life like a floating weed, I may perish at this unknown river bank, stand up, stand up, give it a try, stand up, stand up, like the sprouts in Spring" (Stand up).
In January, 2021, using artificial intelligence (AI) Kim's voice was heard 25 years after his death on a program aired by national broadcaster
SBS, named "Competition of the Century: AI vs Human". A promotional clip posted in December had been viewed more than 150,000 times.
Discography
Studio albums
Compilations
Posthumous releases
Awards
State honors
Notes
References
External links
Kim Kwang-seok Fan Cafe
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Kwang-seok
1964 births
South Korean folk rock singers
20th-century South Korean male singers
South Korean rock guitarists
Suicides by hanging in South Korea
20th-century guitarists
South Korean Buddhists
1996 suicides