Tributes Pour in as Beloved Singer Song Dae-kwan Passes Away

On February 9, the funeral and burial ceremony for the late singer Song Dae-kwan will take place at the Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The ceremony is organized by the Korea Singer Association, with close friends Tae Jin-ah and Lee Ja-yeon serving as co-chairs of the funeral committee.

During the memorial service, Tae Jin-ah will deliver a eulogy, and Kang Jin will share a message of condolence. The burial is scheduled for 11 AM at the Seoul Memorial Park.

Song Dae-kwan passed away from a heart attack on February 7. His representatives stated, "He did not have any chronic illnesses or underlying health conditions. However, he had recently been feeling unwell and was hospitalized. Unfortunately, he suddenly passed away from a heart attack."

The loss has deeply affected those who shared the stage with him. Hyun-sook expressed her sorrow in an interview with OSEN, saying, "He was always such a warm person. He would pat my back and encourage me to work hard, which was incredibly uplifting. Hearing the news of his sudden passing left me in shock, and I cried for a long time. He was a pillar in the music industry, a person like a pine tree, who lived life to the fullest. He maintained the pride of the music industry and always spoke the truth. I noticed he had started to look a bit worn out, which was concerning."

Bae Il-ho shared his disbelief, stating, "It feels so empty and surreal. He was a close friend and a mentor I was always grateful for. It’s heartbreaking to lose him like this. I tried to call him recently, but he didn’t answer. I thought he might have been busy during the Lunar New Year, but he was someone who would always return my calls. Now, it feels like a dream or a nightmare."

Debuting in 1967 with the song 'Kind-hearted Uncle,' Song Dae-kwan rose to fame after a long period of obscurity with his hit 'The Day the Sun Rises,' winning the MBC Best Singer Award in 1976. He received numerous accolades, including the 26th Korean Broadcasting Awards Singer Award, the KBS Best Singer Award, and the SBS Music Awards in the trot category. He left behind hit songs such as 'Because of Love,' 'One Train Ticket,' 'Four Beats,' and 'Popular Song,' and continued to perform actively until recently.

Known as one of the 'Four Kings of Trot' alongside Hyun-cheol, Tae Jin-ah, and Seol Woon-do, Song Dae-kwan's final television appearance was on KBS1's 'National Singing Contest.' He performed at the Dangjin City and Yeongdeungpo District episodes last year. His performances will be aired on February 16 (Dangjin City episode) and March 2 (Yeongdeungpo District episode). Additionally, 'Immortal Songs' will release a tribute video, and 'Music Stage' will also share a memorial video on February 10.