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Wheesung singing at a 2018 Hwaseong performance

Wheesung

휘성

  • Solo · Male
  • R&B
  • Ballad
  • Debuted 2002
  • Deceased

Wheesung singing at a 2018 Hwaseong performance — Photo: KATV · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Debut
2002
Birthday
02.051982
Genre
R&B · Ballad

Basic info

Wheesung is an R&B singer who debuted in 2002 with his 1st full-length album. Signature songs include 〈안되나요〉 and 〈With Me〉.

Debut
2002 · Debut song 안되나요
Debut agency
YG Entertainment
Birthday
February 5, 1982
Years active
2002–2025
Genre
R&B · Ballad
Real name
최휘성
Debut reference
Listed by debut year rather than idol generation.

걸어온 길

He was active in the group A4 but left after its first album. After training at YG-affiliated M-Boat, he made his solo debut in 2002 with his 1st full-length album 《Like a Movie》 and 〈안되나요〉.

He sang songs that blended ballads and hip-hop on an R&B base, and wrote many of them himself. 〈With Me〉 from his 2003 2nd album was also greatly loved.

He won several Rookie Awards in 2002 and continued to receive Main Prizes at year-end ceremonies in 2003 and 2004. In 2009 he gained popularity by singing Craig David's 〈Insomnia〉 in Korean.

In March 2021 he was sentenced by the Andong Branch of the Daegu District Court to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for purchasing and administering propofol; the sentence was upheld on appeal on October 13 that year. On March 10, 2025, he was found dead at his home in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.

Signature songs

  1. 안되나요 2002 YouTube Spotify
  2. With Me 2003 YouTube Spotify
  3. 불치병 2004 YouTube Spotify
  4. Insomnia 2009 YouTube Spotify
  5. 결혼까지 생각했어 2010 YouTube Spotify

Links go to each service's search results. Lyrics are not included for copyright reasons.

Key releases

  1. 2002 Like a Movie1st studio albumIncluded on 〈안되나요〉
  2. 2003 It's Real2nd studio albumIncluded on 〈With Me〉
  3. 2004 For the Moment3rd studio album
  4. 2005 Love... Love...? Love...!4th studio album
  5. 2007.09 Eternal Essence of Music5th studio album
  6. 2009.10 Vocolate6th studio album
  7. 2010.08 Realslow Is BackSingle〈결혼까지 생각했어〉

Find Birthday Cafes

Fans rent a café to celebrate a birthday. These events are usually held for a few days around the birthday. Organizers post notices as posters on X (Twitter), so find them right below. Birthday February 5, 1982

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Major awards

  • 2002 Golden Disc Awards Rookie Award
  • 2002 Seoul Music Awards Rookie Award
  • 2003 Mnet Music Video Festival Best Male Singer (With Me)
  • 2004 Korean Music Awards Musician of the Year
  • 2004 KBS Song Festival Main Prize

Key records and stories

  • His real name is Choi Hwi-seong, and he also performed under the name Realslow.
  • In 2002, he won Rookie Awards at the Golden Disc Awards, the Seoul Music Awards and others.
  • In 2021, he was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for violating the Narcotics Control Act (propofol).
  • On March 10, 2025, he was found dead at his home in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.
  • During his brief time at Ahyeon Industrial Information School, he was a schoolmate of Park Hyo-shin and Hwanhee of Fly to the Sky.
  • He is also the person who brought the singer Ailee to YMC Entertainment.

Listen & explore

Videos & music

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6 photo source(s)