Kim Kwang-seok
| Kim Kwang-seok | |
|---|---|
| Born |
22 January 1964 Daegu, South Korea |
| Died | 6 January 1996 (aged 31) Seoul, South Korea |
| Genres | Folk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1984–1996 |
| Associated acts | Dongmulwon, Noraerul Chanun Saramdul (NoChaSa) |
| Kim Kwang-seok | |
| Hangul | 김광석 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 金光石 |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Gwangseok |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Kwangsŏk |
Kim Kwang-seok (Korean: [kimgwaŋsʰʌk]; January 22, 1964 – January 6, 1996) was a South Korean folk rock singer. He made his debut by joining the recording of a musical ‘Gaedongi’ (개똥이), which consisted of topical songs and was produced by a songwriter and activist Kim Min-ki in 1984. He also participated in the first publicly released album of "Noraerul Chanun Saramdul-Song Seekers," a group of activists and singers in 1987. He became known for his band “Dongmulwon – The Zoo” (동물원) in 1988. He jumped to fame with the first album of Dongmulwon, and then, he began his solo career. Most of his songs were celebrated for his appealing vocals and introspective lyrics, which were broadly loved by young generations of South Korea in 1990s. He released 6 studio albums and 5 compilation albums, and had many hit songs such as “On the street” (거리에서), “Love has gone” (사랑했지만), “A letter from a private” (이등병의 편지) and “Song of my life” (나의 노래). He committed suicide by hanging on January 6, 1996.
Kim Kwang-seok was born on January 22, 1964 at Daebong-dong of Daegu city. Kim was the youngest child of a former school teacher. In 1968, when Kim's father lost his job due to his involvement with an illegal teacher's union, his family moved to Seoul. His peers teased him about his small frame, but he was known to be a smart kid. During middle and high school, he joined the school orchestra, where he learned to read music and play violin, oboe, and flute, and the school choir. When he entered Myongji University in 1982, he began to sing at cafes as a part-time job. An impressionable youngster as he was, he used to burst into tears while singing some topical songs from a collection of musical score book ‘Young Christ’ that dealt with the plight of underprivileged class. His encounter with the songs of Kim Min-ki and Handol, who were admired by many student activists, led him to join a club for topical songs. In 1984, as a member of ‘Union of Echoes,’ a group of activists & singers composed of students from many colleges, he took part in the production of a topical-song-musical album ‘Gaedongi’ (개똥이). He also joined in the making of the first album of ‘Noraerul Chanun Saramdul –Song Seekers’ under the initiative of Kim Min-ki, along with other major figures of college clubs of songs for activism. He joined the army in January 1985, and during the years of military service, he decided to pursue the career path of a musician. Discharged from the army, he returned to school, and he performed in the first concert of ‘Noraerul Channun Saramdul’ which was held at the Centennial Memorial Hall of Korean Christian Missionary in October 1987. At the concert, he was applauded with fervent enthusiasm from the audience, emerging as the key member of the group. He was invited to many major political gatherings and cultural events, where he actively participated.
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