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[mdtoday = Reporter Lee Ga-eul] Rapper Jerry.K (born Kim Jin-il) has died at 42 after a battle with a malignant brain tumor, his family said. They said he had been fighting glioblastoma for about two years and passed away on the 27th.
The news prompted an outpouring of condolences across the music community. Music critic Kang Il-kwon wrote on social media that, although he had heard Jerry.K was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, the news was still shocking. \”I hope he rests in peace,\” Kang wrote.
Born in 1984, Jerry.K graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Communication and Information. He began his career in 2001 as part of the rap duo 로퀜스 and later became an original member of the hip-hop collective Soul Company. He spent some time working in the corporate world before leaving in 2011 to focus on music full time.
As a solo artist, he was known for music that delivered sharp social criticism. His 2008 album Ma-wang tackled human nature and social problems in a blunt, uncompromising way and earned him the nickname \”Ma-wang\” (literally \”Demon King\”). Songs such as \”Stay Strong\” and \”It’s All Lies,\” which addressed the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, became defining tracks that illustrated his musical identity.
In 2011 he founded the independent label Daze Alive Music and was widely regarded as a rapper with keen insight into Korean society. He married in 2015 and raised a family. In May he publicly disclosed his brain tumor diagnosis and subsequent surgery and expressed hope for recovery, but he ultimately succumbed to the illness.
Fans have been visiting his social media accounts to leave messages of condolence — posts like \”Rest in peace\” and \”May you rest peacefully\” — paying tribute to his life and work.
His wake is being held at Severance Hospital’s funeral hall. The funeral service is scheduled for 9:20 a.m. on the 29th, and the burial will take place at Gonggam Arboretum.
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