Singer Wheesung, who led Korea's R&B golden age, passed away one year ago.
March 10, 2026, marks one year since the death of the late Wheesung. The deceased was found in a state of cardiac arrest at his home in Gwangjin District, Seoul, on March 10, 2025, and was pronounced dead. He was 43.
The police said they found no signs of forced entry or evidence suggesting homicide and requested an autopsy from the National Forensic Service. After being verbally informed of the preliminary finding of "cause of death unknown," the police did not disclose the subsequent autopsy results, saying "we considered the deceased's honor and the risk of secondary harm to the bereaved family."
Wheesung debuted in 2002 with the first album "Like A Movie." Wheesung, who endured difficult circumstances in childhood but persisted through his passion for music, entered the music industry through dance teams and groups during high school. Attracting attention by setting a new standard for Korean vocals with his debut song "Can't I?", Wheesung was loved not only as a vocalist but also as an artist of his era.
Wheesung, who released hits such as "In a Year," "Insomnia," "I Even Thought About Marriage," "Heartbreaking Story," "The Day We'll Meet Again," and "Love Is Tasty," demonstrated songwriting and composing skills that transcended genres for artists including Younha, Ailee and ORANGE CARAMEL, as well as for his own hits.
Behind the glamorous stage, Wheesung suffered physical pain such as vocal cord nodules and went through difficult times due to personal controversies and incidents, but he continued to perform and meet fans. It was particularly tragic that on the day he died he was five days away from a joint performance with KCM.
As Wheesung had led Korea's R&B golden age, many people could not hide their grief at the sudden news. A funeral wake was set up four days after his death, and colleagues visited the wake to share their sadness, including IU, Lee Hyori, Kim Tae Woo, Kim Bum Soo, K.WILL, KCM, Youngtak, Lee Young Hyun of Big Mama, Younha, Ali, Ailee, You Se Yoon, Ji Sang-ryeol, Cho Sae-ho, Psy, Hwanhee, Insooni, Dynamic Duo, Lee Jun, Yang Dong-geun and Boom.
At the memorial service, younger brother Choi Hyuk-seong said, "The physical life of the person Choi Wheesung has ended, but the music and spiritual life of singer Wheesung will be eternal," adding, "I think my brother is still with us until the day his songs are heard and sung in this world." In particular, Choi Hyuk-seong said he donated all condolence money and added, "We will earnestly hope that the works my brother brought to light will never be forgotten and the family will protect them."
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