Choi Sung-won

Choi Sung-won (May 29, 1954) is a South Korean folk rock singer who rose to fame as the bass player for rock band Deulgukhwa. Born in Bucheon in the Gyeonggi Province but raised in Seoul, he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the Korea University before debuting as a live performer in the late 70s. A few years later, Choi Sung-won had his first taste of success through his involvement with the band Deulgukhwa, who were lovingly dubbed “The Beatles of Korea.” The band released two albums—March (1985) and Deulgukhwa II (1986)—that became hugely popular among the Korean youth due to their rebellious anti-militarist message. Deulgukhwa split up shortly after the release of their second LP, giving Choi Sung-won an opportunity to embark on a solo career. In 1988, he made his official debut with an eponymous full-length that featured the track “Blue Nights of Jeju Island,” a soothing ballad that became a K-Pop classic over the years, being covered by numerous artists. After releasing his sophomore effort 2nd in 1990, Choi Sung-won served as a producer for Lee Deok-jin’s One Thing I Know (1992) and Panic’s self-titled debut in 1995. In the following years, he fully devoted himself to academic life, working as a lecturer and adjunct professor, and also briefly reunited with Deulgukhwa for an eponymous album that came out in 2013.

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