Heartfelt Farewell to Late Singer 휘성 by His Brother

On March 16, 2025, the funeral service for the late singer 휘성 (real name 최휘성) was held at 6:20 AM at the Seoul Samsung Hospital in Gangnam, Seoul. Following the ceremony, his brother 최혁성, who is also a practicing physician, shared a touching farewell message with the attendees.

Reflecting on their relationship, 최혁성 expressed, "As his younger brother, I have lived alongside him, and I can see how deeply his fans are grieving. I wanted to say a few words to honor him." He described 휘성 as a rather stoic figure at home, noting, "I didn’t really know what he did outside of our family life. I would only see him on television, and it was always surreal to think, 'Why is the person on TV sitting next to me?'"

He continued, "In text messages, he was very affectionate, often saying things like 'I love you, little brother' or 'Thank you for being born.' But in person, he would sometimes say, 'I’m a bit tired; can I have some time alone?' He was someone who didn’t easily share his space. I remember him this way, but meeting his colleagues during the mourning period made me realize how different their experiences were. They all said he was incredibly kind and warm, which made me reflect on who my brother really was."

최혁성 acknowledged that while 휘성 was fundamentally a caring and warm person, he often felt lonely and struggled internally. "We, as a family, wanted to understand why he felt this way. He worked hard and we wanted to help him, but some things cannot be resolved by others' efforts. It’s not something we can blame him for, nor can we blame the family or fans. Many of his colleagues and fans are feeling guilty and sad, but we must recognize that some things are beyond our control," he said, holding back tears.

He also shared that a psychiatrist who treated 휘성 attended the funeral and expressed regret over the situation, emphasizing the challenges of mental health. "There are aspects of illness that are beyond human control, just as we experienced with our father’s passing. I hope everyone can avoid self-blame," he comforted the mourners.

Reflecting on his brother's legacy, 최혁성 stated, "I believe that while the physical life of 최휘성 has come to a halt, the music and songs he left behind will endure. Even as we grow older, his songs will remain with us, perhaps even longer than we will live. He wasn’t someone we could see often, but I hope you can think of him as resting somewhere peacefully. Please don’t dwell too much on sadness."

In closing, he reassured everyone, "His songs will always be there for you to listen to whenever you want. Let’s ensure that 휘성 is not forgotten, and that future generations will remember him as a singer. I will do my best to keep his memory alive, so please don’t be too sad."

휘성 was found deceased at his home in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on March 10. His agency confirmed that he was discovered in a state of cardiac arrest. Initially, the family intended to hold a private funeral due to concerns for their mother’s health, but ultimately decided to create a space for fans and loved ones to pay their respects.