South Korea's beloved trot singer Song Dae-kwan, known for his iconic hits like "Sunny Day" and "Four Beats," passed away on Friday, Feb. 7, at the age of 78.
The veteran artist, who had been a prominent figure in the Korean music industry for over five decades, died due to cardiac arrest at Seoul National University Hospital. Song's agency, Starlineup Entertainment, reported that the singer had visited the hospital's emergency room on Thursday due to deteriorating health conditions. Despite receiving treatment, he succumbed to cardiac arrest the following morning.
The 78-year-old singer had experienced some health issues in the period leading up to his death. It was alleged that he had undergone three surgeries in the past and was struggling to recover. Song had also been diagnosed with bile duct cancer several years ago but had reportedly recovered.
The exact nature and extent of his health problems in the weeks prior to his death were not entirely clear. His funeral will be held at Seoul National University Hospital on Sunday. The song will be buried at Seoul Memorial Park, according to the local news station IMBC.
'해뜰날' 송대관 빈소에 임영웅 화환 눈길#송대관 #SongDaekwan #해뜰날 #트로트4대천왕 #임영웅 #LimYoungWoong #화환 #사망 #지병 #심장마비 #iMBC연예
— iMBC연예 (@imbcenews) February 7, 2025
7일 오전 '트로트 4대 천왕'으로 불렸던 가수 송대관이 갑작스레 세상을 떠났다. 컨디션이 좋지 않아 병원으로 이송되었으나 심정지로… pic.twitter.com/9924xVD6zn
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Who Was Song Dae-Kwan?
Born on June 2, 1946, in North Jeolla Province, Song made his debut in the music industry in 1967 with the song "The Kind Man." However, it wasn't until 1975 that he shot to stardom with his breakthrough hit "Sunny Day."
Throughout his career, Song released numerous chart-topping songs, including "Four Beats," "Popular Song," and "One Ticket," all of which helped him cement his legacy in the trot genre. Song's influence in the trot music scene was so significant that he was often referred to as one of the "Four Kings of Trot" alongside Tae Jin-ah, Hyun Cheol, and Seol Woon-do.
Song went on a brief hiatus when he moved to the United States in the 1980s due to declining opportunities in theater shows before making a successful comeback in 1989 with the hit song "Because of Love."
