Wheesung

Choi Whee-sung (; February 5, 1982 – March 10, 2025), known professionally as Wheesung or by the stage name Realslow, was a South Korean R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and musical theatre actor.

Career 1982-: Early life and education Wheesung was born on February 5, 1982, in Seoul. His paternal grandfather was a dentist who fled from North Korea and financially supported his family until he fell ill with a chronic illness for several years. By the time Wheesung's father got married, they were almost penniless and Wheesung suffered financial hardships throughout childhood and school years. He was an avid dancer in high school where he was part of a rock band named Zenesis, and began singing in his senior year. He graduated from Mapo High School and briefly attended classes in Ahyeon Polytechnic School as well, where he was a classmate with notable musicians such as Park Hyo-shin and Hwanhee from R&B duo Fly to the Sky. He was also active in a hip-hop society called SNP, which contributed to the rise of early stage Korean hip-hop. Its members included hip-hop musicians such as Verbal Jint, P-Type and Jung-in.

After graduating from high school, he initially attended the Sun Moon University, under the journalism major but dropped out. Wheesung subsequently attended the Gukje Digital University and Kyung Hee University's Graduate School of Communication.

1997–1999: Dance Team and Group Debut He started his career in 1997 as a member of a backup dance team ING. Wheesung began his career in 1999 with a short lived Korean boy group, A4. He left after the band's first album debut, citing musical differences between himself and the other members of the band. After that, he joined a rock band, MAME, as vocalist for a short while. He also participated in the MBC College Music Festival (MBC 강변가요제) in 2000.

2000–2006: Solo debut and YG Entertainment In 2000, he signed onto M Boat, a former sister company to YG Entertainment. He underwent a few years of vocal training under the label and released his first solo album Like A Movie in 2002.

Wheesung collaborated with many artists. In late 2008, Wheesung collaborated once again with Lee Hyori, who featured as his girlfriend in his music video of "별이 지다.." (Fading Star) from the With All My Heart and Sou album. In 2009, Wheesung planned to collaborate with producer Lee Hyun-do to produce a new album, with a release date being set for August 2009. In the same year, he also made a big hit by covering Craig David's "Insomnia" in Korean.

2009–2011: POP/UP Entertainment

In April 2009, Wheesung was announced as the MC of a new Mnet TV show called "Pre Star-1 Show". The show gave opportunities for new talented singers to introduce themselves, a platform for them to reach out to more fans. Every month about nine or ten teams will be introduced on Mnet.com and the team which receives most response from the netizens will be chosen onto the show. The chosen team/singer will also be given the chance to perform with popular stars. Wheesung's 'Pre-Show 1 Show' started airing on April 24 on Mnet Cable Channel.

Wheesung had participated in several Kpop concerts in Los Angeles, California, including the Hollywood Bowl, and the Victory Concert. On June 19, 2009, Wheesung and Lena Park held a concert in Los Angeles Disney Concert Hall. After the concert, Wheesung planned to stay in Los Angeles for a month to work on his new album with producer Lee Hyun-do. The new album will go back to the r&b/hiphop style similar to "With Me" and "Incurable Disease". On June 27 and July 4, Wheesung performed at "Insomnia Concert" and club Le Cercle in LA. On July 11, he performed at the HALO nightclub in Hollywood.

In June 2009, Wheesung changed his label again from Orange Shock to POP/UP Entertainment, which houses stars like JK Kim Dong Wook and group M to M.

2011–2016: YMC Entertainment In 2011, he transferred to Tae Jin Ah's YMC Entertainment. Soon after joining YMC Entertainment, he recruited female singer Ailee.

2017–2025: Realslow Company, new stage name and final projects In 2017, Wheesung parted ways with YMC Entertainment after his contract with the agency came to an end. He set up an independent label called Realslow Company, and announced that he will now be promoting under the stage name Realslow.

Realslow was a stage name used by Wheesung when he was an underground singer. Wheesung gained attention in the early 2000s as an underground musician before he debuted in 2002. The name references his love and passion for R&B music, which still struggles to have much popularity in Korea. Through this new name and label, Wheesung aims to return to his roots and produce some soulful R&B music.

Personal life Military service On November 7, 2011, he enlisted for mandatory military service. He served 21 months of active service after completing five-week of basic training course at a boot camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province.

On July 11, 2012, Wheesung was granted a 9 nights, 10 days temporary leave from the army to undergo surgery for a herniated disc as well as other medical conditions such as bilateral shoulders dislocation, psoriasis, and alopecia.

On August 9, 2013, Wheesung was discharged from the military.

Drug use In 2013, the singer was accused of using propofol from 2011 to early 2013 in various places including dermatology clinics in Gangnam, Seoul. Wheesung claimed he used it to treat a herniated disk and hair loss. The court later cleared him of the allegations.

On March 31, 2020, Wheesung was found passed out in a bathroom of a shopping mall in Seoul after using Etomidate. A black bag containing four syringes and five white vials were found lying next to him. Not being classified as a narcotic in South Korea, police released him but confiscated the items of the black bag. On the same day, the man who sold drugs to Wheesung without a doctor's prescription was arrested after a CCTV analysis of Wheesung's trail prior to his discovery unconscious in the bathroom.

On April 2, 2020, Wheesung was found again collapsed in a bathroom of a hotel in Gwangjin District, Seoul, with a syringe and a glass bottle containing Etomidate. Although released, a hair and urine test analysis was performed. While investigating a tip, the police had come to suspect Wheesung of purchasing propofol and sent his case to the prosecution with a recommendation of indictment. Later, Wheesung was charged for propofol use several times in December 2019.

Death On March 10, 2025, Wheesung was found dead at his home in the Gwangjin District of Seoul, at the age of 43. Police said that there was no sign of foul play. Initial findings from an autopsy said the cause of death is "unknown." Wheesung was buried on March 16.

Discography

Studio albums Like a Movie (2002) It's Real (2003) For the Moment (2004) Love... Love...? Love...! (2005) Eternal Essence of Music (2007) Vocolate (2009)

Mini albums With All My Heart and Soul (2008) They Are Coming (2011) The Best Man (2014) Transformation (2016) In Space (2018)

Single albums Realslow Is Back (2010) Heartsore Story (2011)

Lyrics and compositions