Ok-hee, the leader of the pioneering five-member girl group Seoul Sisters, died at 73 on Saturday, June 20, 2026.
The 1970s hit singer was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year and died in a hospice ward.
She began her career through the U.S. 8th Army Show circuit after being introduced to jazz-pop singer Hyun Mi.
South Korean singer Ok-hee, born Kim Gwang-suk, passed away on Saturday (June 20) after battling cancer. She was 73. As per reports in Korean media, according to family members and acquaintances, Ok-hee had been fighting kidney cancer and died at a hospice ward in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, with her husband, Hong Soo-hwan and children by her side.
Singer Ok-hee dies
Singer Jang Mi-hwa, who was close to Ok-hee, told The Chosun Daily in a phone call, “The day before, Ok-hee’s daughter called saying, ‘My mom is in critical condition and is waiting for her aunt,’ so I went to visit her. As soon as I returned home, I received news that Ok-hee had died.”
She added, “During the visit, we listened to Ok-hee’s songs together, and she whispered stories about our memories, which temporarily improved her condition. I thought she had a few more days left, but it was so sudden and heartbreaking.”
Who was Ok-hee?
Ok-hee was the leader of the five-member girl group Seoul Sisters and was popular in the 1970s for her Korean hits.
Born in 1953 in Busan during the Korean War (1950-1953), Ok-hee's parents performed with a theatrical troupe in the city, where they had taken refuge. Later, the family moved to Seoul.
Ok-hee's musical career
During her third year of middle school, Ok-hee's aunt introduced her to jazz-pop singer Hyun Mi (1938-2023). Ok-hee auditioned for the U.S. 8th Army Show circuit — a live entertainment programme run by the U.S. military in Korea that hired Korean performers to entertain American troops stationed in the country. It was the beginning of her entertainment career.
Ok-hee debuted with the Seoul Sisters in 1968, touring internationally before she made her successful solo career in 1974.
I Don't Know, Speak with Your Eyes, Where Could You Be, Ah, That Day, Hold Both My Hands, A Love Like a Novel, Because of Money, and Train of Life (all translated), are some of her iconic singles.
She is survived by her husband, former boxing champion Hong Soo-hwan, and their son and daughter.
