Veteran singer Wicky Lee dies at 79

Wicky Lee

• Published Feb 13, 2015 5:26 PM KST
• Updated Feb 13, 2015 5:26 PM KST

Wicky Lee, a hit singer from the 1960s, has died in Los Angeles. He was 79.

Lee’s son said his father died from a chronic illness.

Lee was also known as Lee Han-pil and he had hit songs such as “Paper Boat” and “Holding Back Tears.” He hosted television shows such as “Show Show Show” on TBC and “National Singing Contest” on KBS.

Lee was a graduate of the Sorabol Art College and began his artistic career in the “Makin’ Whoopy Show” at the Eighth U.S. Army in the early 1960s.

In 1963, he formed a male quartet named “Four Clovers” with Choi Hui-jun, Yu Ju-Young and Park Hyung-jun.

He was the first host of long-running show “National Singing Contest” from 1980.

In 1992, he moved to the U.S. and engaged with the Korean-American community, hosting “Good Evening Korea” on KATV.