"A sunny day will come again~" "I must leave with a train ticket in hand~"
The national trot singer Song Dae-gwan, who left numerous hit songs such as "A Sunny Day" and "One Train Ticket," passed away on the 7th. According to family members, Song visited the emergency room at Seoul National University Hospital the previous day, stating he was not feeling well, and suddenly passed away due to cardiac arrest during treatment.
At the age of 79, Song Dae-gwan remained active on stage. Despite undergoing three surgeries for cancer and experiencing difficulties in recovery, his passion persisted. He was reportedly scheduled to appear on KBS's "Gayo Stage" next week.
Born in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, in 1946, the late singer was a self-made artist who overcame anonymity, as the lyrics of his representative song "A Sunny Day" suggest. After debuting in 1967 with "A Young Lady with a Kind Heart," he endured nearly a decade of obscurity before releasing "A Sunny Day" in 1975.
"A Sunny Day" is considered the representative song that elevated him to the status of a national trot singer. Released during the economic development era of the 1970s, the song provided dreams and hopes to the nation with lyrics such as "There's nothing that can't be done if you try."
He immigrated to the United States in 1980 and returned in the late 1980s, garnering nationwide love with lively and appealing melodies in songs like "One Train Ticket" and "Life is Live Broadcast." During this period, he earned the nickname "Four Kings of Trot" alongside Hyun-cheol, Tae-jin-ah, and Seol-woon-do.
He continued his active career in the 2000s. Notably, the 2002 song "Popular Song," written by his wife Lee Jeong-sim, is considered another of his representative songs. In 2008, he was inaugurated as the second president of the Korean Singer Association, playing a leading role in enhancing singers' rights.
In 2013, he became embroiled in fraud charges due to his wife's failed real estate investments but was acquitted in 2015. At that time, all his assets, including his house, worth around 50 billion won, were handed over to the bank, and he reportedly faced difficulties, including undergoing personal rehabilitation procedures.
In an interview, Song Dae-gwan noted, "I am not at all ashamed of what is lacking now," adding, "If lyricists, composers, musicians, producers, and broadcasters combine their efforts and move forward, a brighter tomorrow will surely come."
Meanwhile, the late singer's mortuary is set to be established at the Seoul National University Hospital funeral hall.