The father of Sam Kim, a South Korean singer-songwriter, was fatally shot during a robbery in Seattle.
Hansoo Kim, the 58-year-old co-owner of Rainier Teriyaki, was shot dead during a robbery that occurred around 8 p.m. on Jan. 14. Although police have yet to release the details surrounding the incident, investigators believe that the robbery involved three people. No arrests have been made.
Following reports of the shooting, Sam Kim’s agency Antenna Music confirmed the news in a press release on Thursday. Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter
A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.
Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.
Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.
We confirmed that the news reported earlier today about Sam Kim’s father passing away is true. We would be grateful if you could convey your condolences to Sam Kim who lost his father and pray for the deceased. May he rest in peace.
A funeral was held for Kim, who is survived by his wife and three children, on Tuesday.
Sam, 24, sang his song “Mama Don’t Worry” at his father’s funeral. While he originally wrote it for his mother, he changed the lyrics in honor of his father.
The artist signed with Antenna Music after finishing in second place on channel SBS’s audition program “Kpop Star 3.” He is known for his emotional R&B tracks, including “Who are you” (2016), “It’s You” (2018) and “Make Up” (2018). Rachel Kim, a family friend of the victim, has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the bereaved family. He loved being outside in nature and would spend his few days off during the year hiking with his wife and friends. More than anything, he loved his family deeply and would go to great lengths to set them up for success and cheer them on. He is remembered as a devoted husband, father, uncle, friend, church member, and local restaurant owner who was always willing to lend a hand and support those around him in whatever way he could.
As of this writing, the campaign has raised over $82,000. Kim’s family has asked for privacy as they grieve.
