Korean pop singer Bangsiri passes away at 61

Korea's female trot singer Bangsiri, known for hit singles such as 'Seoul Tango' and 'First Train,' passed away on Tuesday at a nursing hospital in Incheon City after a long battle with illness.

A native of Incheon, the late singer began her career in the 1980s at the Eighth U.S. Army base. Debuting in 1985 as part of the female trio Seoul Sisters, alongside Park Jin-sook and Yang Jeong-hee, she garnered fame for her potent vocal talent. Among her notable hits are "First Train," "Boat Horn," and "Youth Train," cherished by fans for vividly portraying the social landscape and vibe of the era.

Following the disbandment of Seoul Sisters in 1990, Bangsiri rose to prominence with solo hits such as "Seoul Tango" and "Woman's Heart." In 1997, she was honored as an exemplary celebrity by the Minister of Culture and Sports. Throughout the 2000s, she maintained her career with upbeat dance tracks such as "What's Up." She returned to the spotlight in 2007 with a remake of her single "First Time," performed by the K-pop band Super Junior-T.

Bangsiri battled the aftermath of a stroke for 17 years since June 2007. By 2023, she experienced total paralysis from the stroke and near-complete vision loss due to retinopathy triggered by diabetes. Despite her condition deteriorating to the point where she had difficulty speaking due to paralysis, she maintained a positive outlook and continued practicing pronunciation until her final moments.


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