Music critic Kim Young Dae suddenly passed away, plunging the pop music world into deep grief on Christmas.
On the 25th, a death notice was posted through Kim Young Dae's official social account. The bereaved family wrote, "We respectfully inform you. We announce the passing of Kim Young Dae. Please understand that we could not contact you personally," and provided information about the funeral and other obituary details.
The news of Kim Young Dae's death was especially shocking because it was so sudden. Until recently, she had participated in a prerecorded CBS "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" and continued to communicate through her social account. In fact, on the day her death was reported, the prerecorded broadcast was aired. Kim Young Dae talked about Christmas and carols.
The 'News Show' said, "This program was prerecorded last week. After the Dec. 25 broadcast, we received news of the passing of pop music critic Kim Young Dae. We are at a loss after this sudden news. The production team of Kim Hyun-jung's News Show expresses deep condolences."
The pop music world was also plunged into sorrow. Yoon Jongshin mourned, "Young Dae, what is this. You were someone who delicately took an interest in the detailed thoughts of me as a creator, thank you. Let's share those kinds of conversations again later," he said. CNBLUE's Jung Yong-hwa said, "A person who recognized the value of music and always believed in it wholeheartedly has become a star in the sky. I will cherish that heart and memory for a long time. May you rest in peace."
Writer Heo Ji-woong expressed sorrow, saying, "The last time I spoke with him on the phone was about an appearance; I was off the air and said I could not do it, and he later said let's definitely do it. I can't get work done all morning, don't promise later, don't promise later, promising later to the people I care about and then ultimately failing to keep those promises keeps piling up."
Born in 1977, Kim Young Dae graduated from Yonsei University's department of business administration and earned a Ph.D. in music anthropology from the University of Washington. His criticism, combining a sharp industrial analysis as a business student with the humanistic depth of an anthropologist, is credited with raising K-pop criticism from a level of appreciation to the realm of "cultural phenomenon."
Since 2020, she handled domestic live commentary for major overseas awards shows such as the Billboard Music Awards (BBMA) and the American Music Awards (AMA), and since 2023 she served as a broadcast panelist for the Grammy Awards. She was active as a selection committee member for the Korean Music Awards, a judge for the MAMA Awards, and maintained a fair and professional perspective. Recently, she continued scholarly writing, including authoring a book that illuminated the history of Korean ballad, fueling her academic passion.
Meanwhile, the wake is being held in funeral room 6 at Chung-Ang University Hospital. The funeral procession is at 11 a.m., and the burial site is Seoul Memorial Park.
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