Kim Hong-tak, Guitarist of Korea's 'The Beatles,' Passes Away

Kim Hong-tak (김홍탁), the renowned guitarist who played a pivotal role in the emergence of the Korean group sound era, passed away on the 7th due to lung cancer at the age of 80. He was a founding member of the band Key Boys (키보이스), established in 1964 alongside Cha Jung-rak (차중락), Cha Do-kyun (차도균), Yoon Hang-ki (윤항기), and Ok Seong-bin (옥성빈). The band is celebrated as one of the first group sounds in South Korea and was affectionately dubbed 'Korea's Beatles' for their immense popularity. From 1968, he also performed with the group Hi-Five (하이파이브), which included Jo Yong-nam (조용남), Han Woong (한웅), Yoo Young-chun (유영춘), and Kim Yong-ho (김용호). Hits like 'Chowon' (초원), 'Jeong Jugo Naega Une' (정 주고 내가 우네), and 'Meori' (메아리) marked their success, and even after several lineup changes, the band continued to resonate with fans through songs like 'Chowon's Love' (초원의 사랑). In 1995, Kim established the Seoul Jazz Academy with younger musicians from the group sound scene. Despite battling illness, he passionately worked on creating a 'Hall of Fame for Group Sound' by interviewing fellow musicians. His final album, 'Singing the Legend' (전설을 노래하다), released in April this year by the Music Association of the First Generation of Group Sound, features a new song titled 'Time to Smile' (웃어보는 시간) in collaboration with Kim Sun (김선) and Oh Young-sook (오영숙). The funeral service will be held at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, with the burial scheduled for 3:40 PM on the 9th.