Veteran Singer Han Myeong-sook, First K-Pop Star of the 1960s, Passes Away at 90

Han Myeong-sook, a veteran singer who dominated K-pop in the 1960s, has died at the age of 90. According to music critic Park Seong-seo and other industry sources on the 22nd, she passed away due to a long-term illness. Born on December 1, 1935, in Jinnampo, Pyeongan Province, Han Myeong-sook joined refugee groups with her mother during the Korean War and settled in South Korea. After settling in Incheon, she began her career as a singer in a musical troupe and solidified her position in the entertainment industry by performing on stages for U.S. Army Forces Korea. Her husky voice won over American soldiers, and she even got the opportunity to perform on the same stage as top American singer Patti Page. 1961 was the year that changed Han Myeong-sook’s life. Introduced by singer Choi Hee-joon, she met renowned composer Son Seok-woo and made her debut that same year with the song “The Man in the Yellow Shirt” composed by Son. Although some industry insiders criticized the song as “just a children’s tune with a bit more edge,” its massive popularity immediately elevated Han Myeong-sook to stardom. “The Man in the Yellow Shirt” became so popular that it was sung more often than the national anthem at times. Based on this success, the film “The Man in the Yellow Shirt” directed by Um Sim-ho was produced in 1962, attracting 100,000 viewers. Music critic Park Seong-seo commented, “Starting with ‘The Man in the Yellow Shirt,’ Han Myeong-sook marked a turning point from an era of classical singers to one of artists with unique styles.” The song spread beyond Korea’s borders and swept through Southeast Asia. In 1963, when famous French chanson singer Yvette Giraud performed in Seoul City Hall (now Sejong Cultural Center), she drew attention by singing “The Man in the Yellow Shirt” in Korean. Giraud later recorded a Korean-language album, and other singers such as Japanese artist Hamamura Michiko also remade the song, solidifying Han Myeong-sook’s status as a pioneer of Hallyu. The song became so widely known overseas that foreign tourists sometimes mistook it for South Korea’s national anthem. The 1960s were Han Myeong-sook’s peak period. Songs released in collaboration with composer Son, such as “Our Village,” “It’s Snowing,” “Black Stockings,” “Sentimental Guitar,” “Seonyu-ga,” and “Don’t Break the Damaged Reeds,” successively became hits. She released over 300 songs during her lifetime. Her fellow group Bluebelles nicknamed her “Wangdae-po” for her warm and hearty personality and “Gamcho” because she always stepped in to solve problems wherever she was. Han Myeong-sook married trumpet player Lee In-seong from a military band in 1956, but he passed away at the age of 41 in 1970. She raised their two sons and one daughter alone while also caring for her own mother and mother-in-law. News in 2007 reported that she was living alone in a tiny rented room, prompting help from fellow singers such as Choi Baek-ho. As a model homemaker, she had no scandals. She received the Award for Excellent Mother in 1978 and the National Culture Medal in 2000. She was honored with the KBS Music Awards’ Merit Award in 2003 and the Senior Singer Award at the 12th Traditional Korean Music Awards in 2012. Her survivors include daughter Lee Eun-kyung and second son Lee Il-jun. Her funeral home is located in Room 3 of St. Vincent’s Hospital at Catholic University in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, with the funeral service set for 8:40 a.m. on the 26th.