'Morning Dew' singer and theater founder Kim Min-gi dies aged 73

Kim Min-gi, a folk singer known for the 1971 song "Morning Dew" and founder of Korea's iconic small theater Hakchon in Daehangno, central Seoul, died Sunday.

Singer Kim Min-gi [JOONGANG ILBO]

Kim Min-gi, a folk singer known for the 1971 song "Morning Dew" and founder of Korea's iconic small theater Hakchon in Daehangno, central Seoul, died Sunday. He was 73. Kim was suffering from stomach cancer after being diagnosed last year.

He is survived by his wife and two sons. A funeral parlor has been set up at Seoul National University Hospital.

Kim made his debut as a singer-songwriter in 1971 with his first and only studio album, “Kim Min-gi” (1971), which includes songs like “Morning Dew” and “A Child Who Blossoms” (translated). "Morning Dew" was closely associated with student activism and Korea's democratic movement during that time, which led to the song being banned by the Park Chung Hee regime.

It was in 1991 when Kim founded Hakchon. Initially used as a concert venue for singers, it provided a stage for those displaced by the rapid spread of K-pop culture, laying the foundation for today's indie band performance culture. Artists like folk musicians Towner & Town Chief, Zoo, Yoo Jae-ha and jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun performed at Hakchon, and the late folk singer Kim Kwang-seok held annual live concerts in the venue from 1991 to 1995.

Kim directed the representative musical, "Subway Line 1," which premiered in 1994. It was a remake of the German musical of the same name that was first performed in 1986. Veteran stars like Sul Kyung-gu, Hwang Jung-min and Cho Seung-woo performed in the musical.

Kim's venue faced closure on March 15, following financial difficulties and Kim's worsening condition. An array of artists managed to save Hakchon by engaging in the "Hakchon Again" project, and the theater reopened on July 17 as Arko Kkumbat Theater in central Seoul.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]