Kwak Soon-ok (Korean: 곽순옥; 20 March 1932 – 12 September 2023), also spelled Kwak Sun Ok, was a Chinese-born South Korean singer.
Kwak Soon-ok | |
|---|---|
| Born | 곽순옥 20 March 1932 |
| Died | 12 September 2023 (aged 91) Seoul, South Korea |
| Other names | Kwak Sun Ok |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 곽순옥 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gwak Sun-ok |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kwak Sunok |
Life and career
editBorn in Jilin, Soon-ok moved to South Korea shortly before the Korean War.[1] She debuted as a club singer in 1951, performing for the Eighth United States Army.[2] One year later, she started working as a musical theatre actress.[3] Also a lyricist, her major hit was the song "누가 이사람을 모르시나요" ("Does Anyone Know This Person"), which was the theme song of the radio series 남과 북 ('North and South') and of the 1965 film adaptation with the same title, and which was covered by numerous artists, notably by Patty Kim in a 1983 successful version.[1][2] In spite of her success, in 1965 she moved to Hong Kong and abandoned her musical activities.[1][2] She eventually moved to the United States, before returning to Seoul in her late years.[1] She made her last appearance in 2021, in the MBN program Spotlight on the World.[1][3] Soon-ok died on 12 September 2023, at the age of 91.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f 문지연 (13 September 2023). "'누가 이 사람을 모르시나요' 부른 원로 가수 곽순옥 별세". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Caulfield, Henley (14 September 2023). "Veteran Korean Singer Kwak Sun Ok Passes Away". JazmineMedia. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ a b 마아라 (13 September 2023). "'누가 이 사람을 모르시나요' 부른 가수 곽순옥 별세…향년 91세". 머니투데이 (in Korean). Retrieved 4 October 2023.