Beloved 70s singer Ok-hee has died aged 73. According to reports, she died at a hospice ward in Suwon, Gyeonggi, South Korea, after battling kidney cancer. A close friend of the singer Singer Jang Mi Hwa, said she had visited her on Saturday, June 20th, and was told that she had passed away after her exit, adding that Ok Hee's family was by her side at the time of her death.
The beloved singer made her debut as the leader of a five-member girl group, Seoul Sisters, in the 70s before embarking on a solo career, where she became best known for her hit song "I Don't Know." She was credited as a main force in introducing Korean pop music to the world at an early stage. The group performed at a Las Vegas hotel show, considered a dream stage even among overseas singers of the time, and were featured in US Billboard hits. Ok-hee famously said on a broadcast during her lifetime, “We were the original K-pop stars.”
She later released hits such as "Speak with Your Eyes Only," "Where Do You Think You Are," "That Day," "Neighbourly Relatives," and "Hold My Two Hands."
She was married to former boxing world champion Hong Soo-hwan. The pair separated after welcoming their daughter in 1978, but reunited in 1995 and had been together since.
Tributes have poured in for the star, as actor Han Ji-il said on social media, "My beloved younger sister, Ok-hee, a singer, left us for heaven. I pray for the repose of the deceased."
Jang Mi-hwa recalled that Ok-hee, despite being seriously ill, was determined to keep performing for fans until the end. She said: "During the rehearsals for "Song Stage", her condition kept deteriorating, and everyone around her tried to stop her, but she insisted on performing until the end.
"She was taken to the emergency room right after her appearance. Before she got cancer, she travelled around the country promoting her songs through singing classes. She was such a passionate friend who devoted her body to singing."
Her funeral will be held at Asan Medical Centre in Seoul, and the funeral will be held by the president of the Korean Singers Association. She is survived by one son and one daughter.
