'Rapping granny' of Chilgok passes away at age 87

Seo Mu-seok (center) poses for a photo with members of her hip-hop group, in this photo distributed by the Chilgok-gun Office. (Chilgok-gun Office

Octogenarian rapper Seo Mu-seok, who inspired many by pursuing her musical dreams into her late 80s, passed away Tuesday at the age of 87.

Seo died Tuesday morning at a hospital in Daegu, according to North Gyeongseong Province's Chilgok-gun officials. She had been diagnosed with stage three lymphoma in January, and doctors had told her that she had three months to live.

Seo made her musical debut last year as a member of the seven-member musical act, Suni and the Seven Princesses, made up of eight women whose average age was 85.

With the members having met learning to write in a class for senior citizens, the group garnered nationwide attention for being "rapping grannies," performing for various broadcasts and events. Their lyrics included content about their sadness over not being able to learn Hangeul while growing up, along with the joy of learning it eventually at such late age.

Born in 1937 during Japan's colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula, Seo herself was unable to learn the Korean alphabet due to poverty and discrimination against women.

Despite being diagnosed with fatal cancer, Seo did not notify anyone outside of her family of her illness. She kept on performing, last taking the stage for the opening ceremony of 2024 Hangeul Week in Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul on Oct. 4. But her deteriorating condition forced her to be admitted to a hospital two days later, when doctors told her that the cancer had metastasized to her lung.

Seo's eldest daughter, Jeon Gyeong-suk, 65, said the family didn't try to stop her because she seemed so happy performing as a rapper. "Even though she was given only three months to live, she overcame it with the happiness of rapping," and, "She passed away after spending a year that was like heaven, something she had never experienced in her entire life."

Suni and the Seven Princesses were planning to perform at her funeral on Wednesday, at the request of the deceased and her family.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)