Singer Ok-hee, Pioneer of K-pop Girl Groups, Dies at 73

Ok-hee — birth name Kim Gwang-suk — died on the afternoon of June 20 at a hospice ward in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Kidney cancer. She was 73.

Born in Busan in 1953, she debuted in 1968 as leader of the five-member group Seoul Sisters (서울시스터즈). She performed internationally and became recognized as an originator of the global K-pop girl group format. Her solo career started in 1974 with 나는 몰라요 (I Don't Know). The hits kept coming: 눈으로만 말해요, 어디에 있을 것 같아, 아 그날이, 이웃사촌, 두 손을 잡아요. In 2000 she released a Christian praise album and performed at charity concerts.

She had a long relationship with former boxing world champion Hong Soo-hwan (홍수환). They grew close in 1978 and had a daughter before separating. They reunited in 1995. Hong Soo-hwan attended the funeral parlor.

A memorial hall opened on June 21 at Room 22 of Seoul Asan Hospital Funeral Hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul. The funeral service took place June 24 at 10 a.m. at the same venue. The Korean Singers Association presided, conducting it as a Christian worship service in keeping with Ok-hee's faith. The program included remarks from the association's president and board members, a memorial video, flower offerings, and incense burning. The funeral procession departed at 11 a.m. (One outlet reported the burial site as Bundang Home Memorial Park, another as Hambaesan Memorial Park — the discrepancy remains unresolved.)