It has been belatedly revealed that the late singer Wheesung continued his music activities under the pseudonym 'Shin Jin-seo', evoking sadness.
According to OSEN's coverage on the 15th, it has been confirmed that Wheesung participated in the composition, lyrics, and arrangement of the song 'Sandcastle' by the female duo Davichi under the name 'Shin Jin-seo'.
'Sandcastle' is one of the tracks on Davichi's mini-album 'Season Note', released in May 2022. 'Sandcastle', which showcases a calm yet indifferent emotion, expresses the hearts of lovers who confirm the hearts that have grown cold and recall the memories of the past, accepting parting alongside the last Noul.
In a comment video released at the time of the release, Davichi said, "'Sandcastle' was a song that we thought a lot about as a title track. We added many harmonies to the song," and noted, "The arrangement itself is lonely. It would be suitable to listen to at night," hinting that 'Sandcastle' would provide deep empathy and comfort.
'Sandcastle' is a song composed and arranged by Moon Ji-young, who is active as 'Dal-nara Ji-young'. Moon Ji-young is also the person who composed Wheesung's song 'Lie Beside You' in 2014. In this context, it was revealed that 'Shin Jin-seo', who participated in the composition and arrangement of 'Sandcastle', was Wheesung.
Wheesung is known to have stopped releasing new songs after the OST Part 2 'FANTASY' for the drama 'Sponsor', released in March 2022. Although he had only met fans through fan meetings and concerts, he quietly continued his music activities without fans' knowledge under the pseudonym 'Shin Jin-seo'.
A person close to the deceased who knew him well told OSEN, "Even after Wheesung faced personal controversies, he wanted to continue his music activities," and explained, "Given the timing after many events and the fact that it was a song for another artist rather than his own, he wanted to avoid adding risks due to himself and only be evaluated based on the music, so he used a pseudonym."
Wheesung faced allegations of habitual use of propofol in 2020 and was sentenced in the following year to one year in prison, with a two-year probation, 40 hours of community service, and 40 hours of drug treatment classes, along with a fine of 60.5 million won. Given the timing, it seems he chose to use a pseudonym to avoid being overshadowed by issues and to allow the song itself to receive public evaluation.
In particular, Wheesung revealed that due to panic disorder and depression, he had "been hiding at home for a long time due to severe mental pain" until around 2023. However, he announced the release of new songs for the first time in a long time about six months before his death, raising expectations among fans about the resumption of his music activities.
Last July, he stated, "The currently in-progress REALSLOW 1st album will be made 19+ for all tracks. It's about 40% complete, and the release is targeted for this winter." At that time, he was also surrounded by speculation about health issues and plastic surgery due to his swollen appearance, but close associates told OSEN, "He gained a little weight and is dieting to lose it," and added, "He is currently preparing an album. The exact date hasn't been announced, but we expect it will be around early next year."
Despite having been passionate about music and dieting for a comeback until recently, the news of his sudden death on the 10th added to the tragedy.
Meanwhile, Wheesung was found in a cardiac arrest state in an apartment in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, at 6:29 p.m. He was 43 years old. The police reported that no signs of foul play or external intrusion were found, and they requested an autopsy from the National Forensic Service, which indicated a preliminary verbal opinion of 'cause of death unknown' to the Gwangjin Police Station.
The bereaved family has postponed the funeral schedule due to severe shock, but after the autopsy, they stated, "After much consideration, we would like to set up a memorial time with many people who remembered and loved Wheesung," and received condolences at their funeral hall from 11 a.m. on the 14th at Samsung Seoul Hospital. The deceased's younger brother conveyed through the agency, "Anyone who knows my brother and has happy memories due to his songs and music during his life should feel free to visit and accompany him on his last journey so he won't be lonely,".
At the funeral home, fellow musicians such as KCM, g.o.d's Kim Tae-woo, Big Mama's Lee Ji-young and Lee Young-hyun, 1TYM's Song Baek-kyung, ICHILLIN, Lee Hyori, Baby V.O.X's Shim Eun-jin and Lee Hee-jin, Ha Dong-kyun, IU, Yoo Se-yoon, and Cho Sae-ho came to pay their last respects to the deceased. Groups like BTS, TWICE, Brown Eyed Soul's Naul, and Deuce's Lee Hyun-do sent wreaths to express their condolences. Amid the mourning from fellow musicians, Wheesung's funeral was held at 6 a.m. on the 16th, where he was laid to rest. The burial site is Gwangneung Memorial Park.
, delight_me@osen.co.kr
[Photo] OSEN DB, Wake One
[OSEN]