Choi Sung-bong

Some Lesser Known Facts About Choi Sung-bong

• Choi Sung-bong was a South Korean singer, who was famous for singing at ‘Korea’s Got Talent’ in 2011. He died at the age of 33 after committing suicide in 2023.

• At the age of three, he was left alone at an orphanage in Seoul, where he experienced physical abuse. To escape from the abusive environment, he ran away from the orphanage at the age of five and found refuge in the red-light districts of Daejeon, where he began living.

• During an interview, he shared that when he was 14 years old, he stayed at a night school to hide from the gang members in his area. He also said that he used to sleep in public toilets with heaters to protect himself during chilling winters.

• While attending school, he worked at a delivery service to earn money for his school fees and private lesson expenses. During his time in school, he became passionate about singing and approached Jeong-So Park, a music mentor, to receive lessons. Park agreed to teach him without any fees. Park assisted him in obtaining support from the church and ChildFund Korea.

  

• Despite being accepted into Hanyang University, he faced financial challenges that prevented him from pursuing his undergraduate education there. Later, he began to sell chewing gums and drinks on the streets and at nightclubs.

• In 2011, Choi Sung-bong took part in the reality TV show ‘Korea’s Got Talent’ on tvN, where he showcased his talent by performing the song ‘Nella Fantasia’ by Ennio Morricone.

• Following the uploading of his performance on YouTube, Choi Sung-bong received praise from various musicians, including Justin Bieber, BoA, and Jung Hwa-um. His talent led him to the finals of the competition, and he secured the position of first runner-up on the show.

• Choi Sung-bong made appearances on various music shows, documentary films, and talk shows, both within South Korea and internationally. He appeared on the Spanish TV programme ‘El Hormiguero’ along with the famous singer Justin Bieber. In 2011, he was interviewed by CNN News and ABC News.

  

• After gaining fame on ‘Korea’s Got Talent,’ Choi Sung-bong received offers from several entertainment companies to sign contracts. He chose to sign with Sony Music Korea Inc., but he later made the decision to terminate the contract in December 2011. Before his demise in 2023, he was managed by Bongbong Company.

• He had made appearances on various radio and TV programs such as tvN’s ‘Back Ji-yeo’s People Inside’ (2011), KBS1’s ‘Morning Garden’ (2012), and MBN’s News Square (2013).

  

• In 2012, he performed at many events and festivals including ‘You Fest Main Final Concert’ in Madrid, Spain, the inaugural ceremony of the London Olympics in Seoul, ‘Teenager’s Healing Concert’ by the Ministry of Environment in Seoul, and ‘Andy – Live In Concert’ at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

• He was invited by the South Korean President for charity performances and speeches.

• In April 2012, the chairman of Cisco invited him to do a performance.

• In 2012, he did a public advertisement for Election Committee in South Korea.

• Choi Sung-bong appeared in articles in several magazines such as Korean Daily 100°C in 2012, Woman Sense in 2013, and Woman’s Life in 2013.

• He was the honorary ambassador of ChildFund Korea and the Chang Dong Social Welfare Center.

• He also made talent donations by performing for non-privileged people, including single mothers, youths in juvenile custody, and hospice centres.

• He did more than 1000 performances around Asia, Europe, and South America.

• In 2016, Choi Sung-bong authored a book titled ‘Singing is My Life: Memoir of My Journey from Homelessness to Fame.’ In this book, he shares his personal story, including his life experiences and his journey towards success in his career. The book achieved significant popularity and became a best-seller.

• In April 2016, he released the single album ‘I Pray’ from his mini-album ‘The First Story.’

  

• In 2021, he released a song titled ‘Tonight.’