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Rapper Jerry.K dies at 42 after battle with brain cancer

Published: 28 Apr. 2026, 13:05 Updated: 28 Apr. 2026, 14:21

CHO YONG-JUN
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Rapper Jerry.K in a photo uploaded to the artist's Instagram in 2019 [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Jerry.K, the rapper whose sharp social commentary made him one of the most distinctive voices in Korean hip-hop, died on Monday after battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, for nearly two years. He was 42.

A memorial has been set up at the funeral hall of Severance Hospital in Sinchon, Seodaemun District, in western Seoul. The funeral procession is scheduled for Wednesday.

Born Kim Jin-il, Jerry.K was born in 1984 and graduated from Seoul National University's Department of Communication. He made his debut in 2001 as part of the rap duo Loquence, alongside high school classmate Makesense.

He went on to become a founding member of the hip-hop crew Soul Company before steadily building a solo career.

“I was suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumor, underwent surgery and am recovering,” he wrote on Instagram in May 2024. “I still haven't fully grasped [my situation], but I hope I get better little by little.”

The raw way in which he tackled human nature and solo issues in his 2008 solo debut album, “The Erlking,” also known as “Mawang” in Korean, became his signature voice over subsequent albums. The album also earned him the moniker mawang, which translates to “demon king.”

Jerry.K founded his independent label Daze Alive in 2011 and continued to explore the fault lines of Korean society with what critics described as an unflinching gaze.

His third full-length album, “Reality, Enemy” (2014), was nominated for Best Rap & Hip Hop Album at the 12th Korean Music Awards, and “Call Center (feat. Oohyo)” (2016), the lead track from his fourth full-length album, received the same nomination at the 14th Korean Music Awards.

He released his fifth full-length album, “Home” (2020), centered on themes of everyday life and quiet recovery, during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [[email protected]]