Kim Yong-dae, a prominent K-pop critic, died at 48. Known for his insights on BTS and K-pop, his funeral will be held on the 27th.
December/25/2025 17:04Related Groups & Members
Music critic Kim Yong-dae passed away on the 24th. He was 48 years old. Today (25th) morning, it was announced through the deceased's SNS, 'We inform you of the news of Kim Yong-dae's passing.' The specific background and cause of his sudden death have not been disclosed. Born in 1977, Kim Yong-dae was known to the public for his critiques covering idol music and the K-POP industry as a whole. In particular, he played an important role in analyzing the global success of BTS from musical and industrial perspectives, contributing to the formation of K-POP debates both domestically and internationally. Based on his musical insights, he was responsible for the Korean TV broadcasts and commentary of major American music award ceremonies such as the Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards, and Grammy Awards. He also operated a YouTube channel called 'Kim Yong-dae's School of Music,' actively communicating with music fans. His publications include 'Reading BTS - Why They Captivate the World,' 'Idol-Artists Here and Now,' and 'The Songwriters,' and he served as a selection committee member for the Korean Popular Music Awards and a judge for MAMA AWARDS, exerting influence throughout the music industry. Due to such contributions, he has been evaluated as a representative K-POP critic of the country. The mortuary has been set up at the Seoul National University Hospital funeral hall. Condolences can be expressed starting today (25th) at 10 AM, and the funeral mass will be held on the 27th at 10 AM at the Geumseong-dong Cathedral. The departure will be at 11 AM on the same day, and the burial site is Seoul Choi-mu Park. Afterward, he will be laid to rest in a peaceful resting place.
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