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Hyun Cheol (Yonhap) |
Legendary trot singer Hyun Cheol who enjoyed remarkable popularity in the 1980s and 1990s with hit songs such as “Garden Balsam Love” and “Not Anymore,” passed away at the age of 82 on Monday.
According to industry sources, Hyun Cheol died of a chronic illness at a hospital in Seoul.
Born in Busan, Hyun Cheol was enrolled in Dong-a University when he debuted in 1969 with “My Heartless Love."
In 1970, he joined a band -- Hyun Chul & Bees -- but failed to make a name for himself.
It was only after beginning work as a solo trot artist that he became a household name with the 1982 single “Thinking of You Whenever Wherever.”
He continued to release hit trot songs such as “Give Me Back My Youth” in 1984, “Garden Balsam Love” in 1988 and “Not Anymore” in 1990, becoming a legendary trot singer.
In 1989, he won the grand prize at the KBS' year-end music awards for his song "Garden Balsam Love.”
He won the same award the following year for “Not Anymore.”
His health began deteriorating in the 2010s after cervical disc surgery and he mostly dropped out of the music scene.
Hyun Cheol’s last public appearance was on KBS 2TV’s “Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend” in 2020.
