Seo Dong-wook, a former member of the popular 1990s duo Exhibition and vice president of Morgan Stanley Private Equity, passed away on the 18th. He was 50 years old.
The cause of death has not been disclosed, but it is reported that he had a chronic illness.
Seo Dong-wook formed the group Exhibition with college colleague singer-songwriter Kim Dong-ryul and won the grand prize at the 1993 MBC College Song Festival with "In the Dream." Exhibition officially debuted with their first album the following year and released three albums until they disbanded in 1997. Their representative songs include "Etude of Memory," "Journey," "Stranger," "Bird," "Drunken Truth," "Graduation," and "Resolution."
At the time of their disbandment, Exhibition said: "There were more than a few times when I felt that we might have missed a variety of opportunities that a student status can offer while living as singers at a young age," and added, "I want to return to school for the time being, focus on studying, do things I've never done, and plan for my future."
After Exhibition disbanded, Kim Dong-ryul continued his music career by forming Carnival with Lee Jeok. On the other hand, Seo Dong-wook worked in the financial sector at companies like McKinsey & Company, Doosan Group, and Alvarez & Marsal. Since 2015, he has been with Morgan Stanley Private Equity.
In May 2008, Seo Dong-wook visited Kim Dong-ryul's solo concert and expressed friendship by saying, "It's amazing and I'm proud."
The memorial is arranged in special room 1 at Severance Hospital Funeral Hall in Sinchon, Seoul. The funeral is scheduled for 11:40 a.m. on the 20th.