Singer Ok-hee [Yewuhoe]
Singer Ok-hee [Yewuhoe]

Ok-hee, a trailblazing singer who performed on stages around the world and defined Korean pop music in the 1970s, has died at 73.

Ok-hee died at around 8:40 p.m. Saturday at a hospice ward in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, after a battle with kidney cancer, according to the music industry. Her husband, former boxing world champion Hong Su-hwan, and their children were at her side.

Born in Busan in 1953 as the Korean War raged, Ok-hee grew up surrounded by music through her parents, who performed with a traveling theater troupe. After the truce, the family moved to Seoul, where she attended Baehwa Girls' Middle School. It was through an aunt who ran a dress shop in Myeong-dong that she met veteran singer Hyun-mi, setting her on the path to an entertainment career.

In 1968, she debuted as the leader of the five-member girl group Seoul Sisters and went on to perform across Hong Kong, the Middle East, the United States and Canada. In a television interview, she once recalled, "I was the pioneer of K-pop, touring the world."

After returning to Korea and going solo, she released "I Don't Know" in 1974, earning MBC's Top 10 Singer Award that year. A string of hits followed — "Speak Only With Your Eyes," "Ah, That Day," "Neighbors" and "Hold Both Hands" — cementing her place as one of the defining female vocalists of the decade.

Her personal life drew as much attention as her music, particularly her relationship with Hong Su-hwan. The two began dating in the late 1970s and had a daughter together before separating. They reunited 16 years later in 1995. In 2000, they released a praise album together and performed at charity concerts, reflecting their enduring bond.

Even after being diagnosed with kidney cancer last year, Ok-hee never stepped away from the stage. In March, while still undergoing treatment, she appeared on KBS 1TV's "Gayo Mudae" and sang "Flower of Passion" for her fans. "Grateful Love," released in 2024, and "Life Train," included on an album by the music collective Yewuhoe, stand as her final recordings.

Ok-hee will lie in state at funeral hall No. 3 of Asan Medical Center in Seoul. Her funeral, held under the auspices of the Korea Singers Association, is set for June 25. She is survived by her husband Hong Su-hwan and two children, a son and a daughter.


shee@heraldcorp.com