Song Bok-hee (Korean송복희; 27 April 1927 – 8 June 2022),[1] also known professionally as Song Hae (Korean송해), was a South Korean television music show host and singer. He had been the host of the longest running music show National Singing Contest from 1988 until his death in 2022,[2] and was also a veteran of the Korean War.[3]

Song Hae
Born
Song Bok-hee

(1927-04-27)27 April 1927
Died8 June 2022(2022-06-08) (aged 95)
Seoul, South Korea
NationalitySouth Korean
EducationHaeju Arts School, Hwanghae-do – Dept. of Vocal Music (dropped out)
Occupations
  • TV host
  • singer
  • comedian
Years active1949–2022
Spouse
Suk Ok-ee
(m. 1953; died 2018)
Korean name
Hangul
송해
Hanja
宋海
Revised RomanizationSong Hae
McCune–ReischauerSong Hae
Birth name
Hangul
송복희
Hanja
宋福熙
Revised RomanizationSong Bok-hui
McCune–ReischauerSong Pokhŭi
Signature

Early life

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Song Bok-hee was born on 27 April 1927 in modern-day Chaeryŏng-gun, South Hwanghae Province in North Korea.[4] His family was part of the Yeosan Song clan.[5] Song started as a singer who majored in operatic singing in Haeju conservatory of music in 1949.[6]

During the Korean War, he fled via boat to the south, arriving in the port of Busan. He later used the stage name, Hae (meaning sea), as a memory of this voyage.[7] Song served as a military signaller for the South, and claimed to have transmitted the message for the ceasefire of the Korean War.[8]

Career

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In 1955, Song Hae debuted in the Changgong musical troupe.[9] In 1988, at the age of 60, Song became the MC for Korea Sings (National Singing Contest) of KBS, a position he held until his death in 2022.[10]

Personal life and death

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In 1953, Song married his wife, Suk Ok-ee.[11] In 1986, his son Chang-jin (1966–1986) was killed in a bike accident on the Hannam Bridge.[8][12] On 20 January 2018, Ok-ee passed away.[11]

Song died at his home in Gangnam of Seoul on 8 June 2022, aged 95.[13][14] He was cremated at a crematory in Gimcheon and his ashes were buried at the family cemetery nearby Songhae Park (Korean송해공원) in Daegu on June 10, 2022.

Filmography

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Television shows

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1988 ~ 2022 Korea Sings MC [10]
2021 The Age of Destiny Cast member [15]

Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2021 Songhae 1927 himself documentary film [16]

Awards and honors

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Year Award-giving body Category Nominated work Ref.
2001 Korean Entertainment Art Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) [17]
2008 Baeksang Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement Award [18]
2010 Korea Communications Commission Achievement Award [19]
2014 Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards Order of Cultural Merit [20]
2015 KBS Entertainment Awards Best Couple Look at Me (with Jo Woo-jong) [21]
2016 Korean Producer Awards TV Host Award [22]
2022 Guinness World Records Oldest TV Music Talent Show Host [23]
Korean Broadcasting Awards Judge's Special Award [24]
KBS Entertainment Awards 20th Anniversary Special Achievement Award Korea Sings [25]

References

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  1. ^ ""오늘(27일)은 '원조 국민 MC' 송해 선생님의 92번째 생일입니다"". Insight (in Korean). 27 April 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  2. ^ "[단독]"송해 독감, '전국노래자랑' 광주편 촬영 연기"". Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). 12 January 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  3. ^ "송해 "6.25 전쟁 휴전 소식, 내가 모스부호로 알렸다"". The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). 3 August 2010. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  4. ^ Park, Han-sol (8 June 2022). "World's oldest TV music talent show host Song Hae dies at 95". The Korea Times. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  5. ^ "송해 '송소희' 알고보니 일가친척 족보상 송해 씨가 오빠". 5 June 2016.
  6. ^ "[SC줌人]일요일에 만날 일만 남았는데…故 송해, 마지막 인사도 못한 이별". Chosun Ilbo. 8 June 2022.
  7. ^ "'전국~노래자랑!' 원조 국민MC 송해 별세…향년 95세(종합2보)". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). 8 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Split personality: The elderly Korean star Song Hae shaped by division". Deccan Herald. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  9. ^ ""전국~ 노래자랑!" 그 목소리 못듣는다… 영원한 MC 송해, 95세로 별세". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 8 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  10. ^ a b Kwak, Yeon-soo (17 May 2022). "Veteran entertainer Song Hae considering leaving 'National Singing Contest'". The Korea Times. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  11. ^ a b Park, Si-soo (21 January 2018). "Wife of Korea's oldest celebrity dies". The Korea Times. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  12. ^ ""황해도서 전국노래자랑" 그 꿈 남기고 떠난 95세 송해". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). 8 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  13. ^ Lee, Michelle Ye Hee (8 June 2022). "Song Hae, a South Korean TV host with staying power, dies at 95". The Washington Post.
  14. ^ "S. Korea's oldest TV host Song Hae dies at 95". The Korea Herald. 8 June 2022.
  15. ^ Ahn Ji-young (8 December 2021). "메타버스 예능 '부캐전성시대' 론칭…송해·인순이·신정환·유세윤 참여" [Metaverse's entertainment show 'Era of Wealthy Prosperity' launched… Song Hae, In Soon-i, Shin Jeong-hwan, Yoo Se-yoon participated]. Munhwa Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 8 December 2021 – via Naver.
  16. ^ Bae Hyo-joo (15 September 2021). "95세' 송해, 건강 회복 후 영화 주연까지‥'송해 1927' 11월 개봉[공식]" ['95 years old' Song Hae recovers health and leads the movie... 'Songhae 1927' released in November [Official]]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via Naver.
  17. ^ "송해 씨, 제8회 연예예술상 수상". The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). 18 September 2001. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  18. ^ "'전국노래자랑' 송해, 백상예술대상 공로상". Star News (in Korean). 24 April 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  19. ^ "송해, 2010 방통위 방송대상 공로상 수상". The Asia Business Daily (in Korean). 26 March 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  20. ^ "대중문화예술상 2014년". Korea Creative Content Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  21. ^ "KBS 연예대상, 베스트커플상 송해·조우종 "훈훈 영광" vs "해형 덕분"". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 27 December 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  22. ^ "[한국PD대상] 송해, TV진행자 부문 수상…"생애 제일 기쁜 날"". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). 18 March 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  23. ^ Yang, Ji-ho (24 May 2022). "Song Hae Sets Guinness Record as World's Oldest TV Show Host". The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  24. ^ Yoon Hyo-jeong (28 July 2022). "박은빈·전현무·(여자)아이들 등 한국방송대상…故송해 특별상" [Park Eun-bin, Jeon Hyun-moo, (G)I-dle, etc. Korea Broadcasting Awards... Late Songhae Special Award] (in Korean). News1. Retrieved 28 July 2022 – via Naver.
  25. ^ Kim Hyun-sik (25 December 2022). "활약 못한 후보들에 감사" 신동엽, 10년 만에 대상 품었다(종합)[2022 KBS 연예대상]" ["Thanks to the candidates who were not active" Shin Dong-yeop, 10 years later, the grand prize (comprehensive) [2022 KBS Entertainment Awards]] (in Korean). E-Daily. Retrieved 24 December 2022 – via Naver.
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