Wang Su-bok

Wang Su-bok (, ; 5 March 1917 – 1 June 2003) was a singer from North Korea, who was the most popular singer in Japanese-occupied Korea in 1935.

She was credited as a ground-breaking female artist, whose work led the way for the modern K-pop phenomenon.

Biography

Born in 1917, Wang Su-bok studied at the Chosen Dancing Girls School in Pyongyang, which specialised in kisaeng training. This trained girls in singing, dancing, musicianship and costume. She graduated in 1931. Her debut as a kisaeng singer came in 1933, and she was very popular during the rest of the decade. One of Wang's most popular songs was Ulchi marayo (Don't Cry). One of the styles in which she sang was kinminyo, a traditional folk style. She was signed to both Columbia and Polydor Records. Wang won a popularity contest for singers in 1935, organised by Samcheolli Co.

In 1936, when she was at the peak of her popularity, Wang was known as the 'Queen of Popular Songs'. She moved to Japan to study Western music, training as a mezzo-soprano singer who sang mostly Joseon folk songs in Western vocal style. In an interview at the time, she said, "I want to sing a lot of Joseon folk songs, just as Choi Seung-hee saved Joseon dance."

On her 60th birthday in 1977, Kim Il Sung sent her a birthday gift. For her 80th birthday in 1997, Kim Jong Il sent her a birthday present. She died in 2003.

Personal life

Wang was a partner of the novelist Yi Hyoseok, who she met in her sister's coffeehouse in Pyongyang. She later married the economist Kim Kwang-jin, who in turn was former partner of the poet No Chun-myeong.