Yoo Jae-ha

In this Korean name, the family name is Yoo.

Yoo Jae-ha
Background information
Born	(1962-06-06)June 6, 1962 Andong, South Korea[1]
Died	November 1, 1987(1987-11-01) (aged 25) Seoul, South Korea
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Years active	1984–1987
Korean name
Hangul	유재하
Hanja	柳在夏
Revised Romanization	Yu Jaeha
McCune–Reischauer	Yu Chaeha

Yoo Jae-ha (Korean: 유재하; Hanja: 柳在夏;[2] June 6, 1962 – November 1, 1987)[3] was a South Korean singer and songwriter.[4] His first and only album, Because I Love You (Korean: 사랑하기 때문에) was released through Seoul Records in 1987.[5] Yoo died in a car accident months later from the album release at age 25.[6] Even though he died with only one album, Yoo Jae-ha's music has a great legacy in South Korea, and it is credited with exerting tremendous influence in Korean popular music.

Biography and death

Yoo was born in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea.[1] He attended Hanyang University, where he studied music composition and began playing the keyboard for Cho Yong-pil's band, The Great Birth in 1984.[6]

After graduating from college, he worked with Kim Hyun-sik for Kim's first album Spring-Summer-Fall-Winter, and in 1986, he wrote the song "Hidden Road" (Korean: 골목길) from Kim's 3rd album, which contributed to the creation of Kim's early alum. The following year, in 1987, he released his first and only album, Because I Love You, and then died in a car accident on November 1 of the same year at the age of 25.

Legacy

Following Yoo's death in 1987, his family established the Yoo Jae-ha Scholarship Foundation, followed in 1989 by the Yoo Jae-ha Music Contest. Winners of the contest include You Hee-yeol, Kim Yeon-woo, and Bang Si-hyuk.[7]

As of 2011, Because I Love You has sold more than 2 million copies.[8] The album was remastered and re-released on vinyl in 2014.[9] In 2013, Mnet ranked Yoo at number one on their Legend 100 list of the most influential musicians in South Korean history since the 1960s.[10] In 2018, Because I Love You was ranked the best pop album in South Korean history by a panel of music critics and music industry experts in collaboration with The Hankyoreh and Melon.[11]

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions	Sales
		KOR [12]
Because I Love You (사랑하기 때문에)	Released: August 20, 1987 Label: Seoul Records Formats: LP, cassette, CD	37	KOR: 2,000,000[8]

References

1. Jeon, Jong-hun (May 30, 2016). 대구는 김광석거리, 안동은 유재하거리. Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Retrieved November 22, 2019.
2. Han, Hyeon-u (January 22, 2014). 더 깨끗해진 유재하 목소리. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved November 22, 2019.
3. Jang, Yu-jeong (2018). 노래 풍경: 장유정의 음악 산문집. ALMA. ISBN 9791159921704.
4. "[대중음악가 열전] 6. 뮤지션 유재하". Busan Ilbo. April 21, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
5. Choe, Gyu-seong. "사랑하기 때문에" (in Korean). Korea Popular Music Research Institute. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
6. Marshall, Colin (November 19, 2017). "Yoo Jae-ha's "Because I Love You," 30 Years After His Untimely Death". Blog: Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
7. Seo, Jeong-min (November 4, 2019). 30회 맞은 유재하음악경연대회… "오늘도 사랑하기 때문에". The Hankyoreh (in Korean). Retrieved November 22, 2019.
8. Kang, Hye-ran (June 28, 2011). 유재하 '사랑하기 때문에' 비화 [Yoo Jae-ha's 'Because I Love You']. The JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
9. Kwon, Seok-jeong (November 1, 2014). 유재하 27주기, 새로 오는 자들을 맞아주는 그의 음악. Ten Asia (in Korean). Retrieved November 22, 2019.
10. So, Seung-geun. [레전드 100人] 유재하, 대한민국 발라드의 기준이 되다 [[Legend 100] Yoo Jae-ha, setting the standard for Korean ballads] (in Korean). Genie Music. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
11. 세월이 흐를수록 순위를 거슬러 오른 최고의 명반, 유재하. The Hankyoreh (in Korean). September 28, 2018. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
12. "Circle Album Chart – Week 9 of 2014". Circle Chart (in Korean). February 23, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2022.

External links

• Yoo Jae-ha Music Scholarship