R&B singer Wheesung, who marked his place in the industry, has passed away unexpectedly. His activities, which led R&B in the domestic popular music scene, make this news even more heartbreaking. He was 43 years old.

Wheesung, who left behind numerous hit songs. Debuting in 2002 with 'Do You Not...?', Wheesung caught the public’s attention with rumors that he was a singer praised by Seo Taiji from the start of his career. He later showcased many hit songs such as 'With Me,' 'The Day We Meet Again,' 'Incurable Disease,' 'One Year,' 'A Heart-Wrenching Story,' 'I Even Thought About Marriage,' 'Love Is Delicious,' and 'Insomnia,' demonstrating the spectrum of his music.

It is no exaggeration to say that Wheesung is a talented vocalist who led the popularization of the R&B genre. Expanding his domain while popularizing the 'R&B genre' in Korea, he received great love as a representative of domestic R&B in the 2000s, establishing himself as a unique singer with his outstanding and original vocal style.

With such excellent singing ability, Wheesung received high praise not only from domestic singers but also from international artists. He showcased his talents across various fields, including dance, rap, and songwriting. He was actively involved as a songwriter for artists like Yoonha with 'Password 486,' Ivy's 'Seduction Sonata,' Ailee's 'Heaven,' TWICE's 'Dance the Night Away,' and Lee Hyori's 'Hey Mister Big.' He demonstrated his skills as a lyricist and producer while nurturing many junior artists, never losing his passion for music.

Wheesung, who also expanded his activity area by appearing in musicals. In July of last year, he posted on his social account, "Currently preparing REALSLOW 1st album, making all tracks rated R. It’s about 40% complete and I aim to release it this winter," announcing his comeback. Wheesung added, "Since it has high intensity, I advise listeners who feel strong aversion to provocative media not to have expectations. I have often released such R&B numbers since my debut, and it’s not a particularly unusual step, but I wanted to give a heads-up."

In January this year, Wheesung proved his continued popularity by completely selling out his solo fan meeting. It had garnered more attention as it was about 1 year and 8 months since the 'Wheesung Family Gathering' held in 2023. Recently, he also announced a joint concert with singer KCM. This concert is scheduled to take place on the upcoming 15th in Daegu, further shocking fans who had high hopes.

Meanwhile, Wheesung's agency, TAJOYENT, stated, "We are sorry to convey such a heartbreaking and tragic message," and added, "On this day, our artist Wheesung has left us. He was found in a state of cardiac arrest at his home in Seoul and was pronounced dead. The sudden news has deeply saddened the family, fellow artists from TAJOYENT, and all staff who mourn his passing."

On the same day, a representative from KCM's agency, A2Z Entertainment, told OSEN, "On the 15th, KCM and Wheesung were supposed to hold a joint concert in the region, and we just received the news of Wheesung’s passing today," expressing their devastation, adding, "After the news broke, we received final confirmation from the concert planning company about the cancellation."

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[OSEN]