IU honors Shin Hae-chul at music awards

/ Korea Times file

Singer IU commemorated late rocker Shin Hae-chul, who died in late October, by singing one of his best-known songs “Fly, Chick!” at the 2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards at the Asia World-Expo Arena in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

“This year, I had one special memory that I will never be able to forget,” said IU, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, explained that she has “embraced the fond memories” of the singer by revisiting his records.

“I’ll let you listen to a song from my memory that will last forever,” she said before singing Shin’s tune.

Released in 1994 by the band N.EX.T, for which Shin was lead singer, Fly, Chick! is a song about a child whose pet chick dies. It is said to showcase Shin’s emotion and pathos.

Shin fell into a coma days after undergoing surgery for intestinal adhesions, and died on Oct. 27.