Musician Kang Seung-sik, who created songs such as Jang Eun-suk's "Let's dance" that won the public's love in the 1970s, has died. He was 72.
According to popular music critic Park Sung-seo and others on the 20th, the deceased died around 1 a.m. on the 19th while receiving inpatient treatment for sepsis symptoms at a hospital in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.
Born in 1954, the deceased was from Seoul and the fourth of five siblings. Singer Sun Woo-sung, who sang the adapted song "Champs-Élysées," was also his older sister. His music career began in earnest in 1973 when he took the stage with an acoustic guitar at music listening rooms of the day such as "Cherbourg," which was then top-tier.
In 1974, the following year, he officially set foot in the pop scene by releasing the song "One day, two days, three days." After that, as a musician who wrote and sang his own songs, he steadily presented solo albums such as "Don't forget my heart" (1979) and "Twilight" (1982).
His creative talent shone even more when he made songs for other singers. He composed Jang Eun-suk's "Let's dance" and "Your first love" in 1978, drawing immense popularity and rising to the ranks of star composers. In the mid-1980s, he founded the music agency "Mono Planning" and also transformed into a manager. There, he successfully produced numerous albums, including Park Sang-kyu's "Nomad" (1985) and Kang Young-suk's "With an empty heart" (1986), playing active roles across the pop industry.
In the mid-1990s, he moved his base of activity to the United States, where he hosted music programs on Korean television and offered comfort to the Korean community. However, while living abroad, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had to undergo major surgery to remove his stomach. He later returned in 2003, saying he wanted to be "buried in the homeland."
Settling in Jeonju and nearby Samrye, the deceased devoted his remaining years to revitalizing local popular music. He led as head of the Korea Singers Association North Jeolla branch and directly founded groups such as the North Jeolla Singers Association and the Yeong-Honam Cultural Exchange Association, taking the lead in breaking down cultural barriers between regions.
Survivors include singer Yang Mi-kyung, a former music instructor who stayed by his side for a long time, and three sons and one daughter. The wake has been set up in VIP Room 402 at Jeonju Geumseong Funeral Hall in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The funeral procession is at 9 a.m. on the 21st.