SEOUL – Kim Min-ki, a revered figure in South Korea's music and theater scene, died on Sunday at the age of 73 after a prolonged battle with stomach cancer. Kim was celebrated not only for his influential songs from the 1970s but also for his role in shaping the vibrant theatrical landscape on Daehangno street in Seoul through the Hakchon Theater, which he operated for over three decades.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the nephew of the late artist and a staff member at Hakchon Theater, Kim Min-ki was at home under care when his condition deteriorated last Friday, leading to his admission to an emergency room the following morning. "But his condition was poor from the moment he arrived at the hospital, and he passed away at 8:26 p.m. the following day," stated Kim Sung-min during a press briefing held at a Seoul café.
Kim Min-ki began his artistic journey in 1969 as part of a folk song duo while attending university in Seoul. He gained substantial recognition as the composer of "Morning Dew," performed by Korean folk singer Yang Hee-eun. The song became emblematic of the pro-democracy movement among students. Despite facing suppression from military-backed governments, which led to his albums being pulled from stores and his songs banned, Kim continued his artistic pursuits, even working in a garment factory and a mine to support himself.
In 1991, Kim established the Hakchon Theater in Daehangno, which soon became a nurturing ground for aspiring artists and a cultural exchange hub. The theater was instrumental in the early careers of several prominent Korean singers, including the late Kim Kwang-seok, Yoon Do-hyun, Na Yoon-sun, and Jeong Jae-il. Kim's landmark rock musical "Line 1," which debuted in 1994 at Hakchon, told a story set on Seoul's subway Line 1 and became a significant part of Korean musical theater history, running over 8,000 performances until 2023 and drawing more than 700,000 attendees.
The financial strain and his health issues eventually led to the closure of Hakchon Theater in March of this year. Reflecting on the closure, Kim had remarked, "It's the right decision to end the theater now. I've done all I can do."
Kim Min-ki leaves behind a legacy of cultural defiance and artistic expression, survived by his spouse and two sons.