Education
Kim was educated at Seoul National University.
Kim was educated at Seoul National University.
He first came to prominence as the composer of the tune "Achim Isul" (Korean: "아침 이슬", literally "Morning dew"), which was written in 1970 and performed by Korean folk singer Yang Hee-eun. Kim"s songs discussed the Americanization of Korean culture and questioned relations between North and South of Korea, and his lyrical and musical style were a major influence on the genre known as Norae Undong ("Song Movement") which became popular in the 1980s. He released nine albums before 1975, at which time his music was censored by the government.
His albums were pulled from record stores, playing of his music over the radio or singing it in public was banned, and he was not permitted to release material under his own name.
This moratorium continued until June 26, 1987, when all restrictions on the performance of his material were lifted. During his period of censorship, Kim turned to writing plays, which began to be performed after 1987.
He also formed an acting troupe, Hakchon, which performs musicals he composed. His adaption of the German rock musical Linie 1 was first performed in 1994 and has been given over 1,000 times in of Korea, as well as being performed in China and Japan.
The song was a major popular music hit in of Korea in the 70s, and Kim became a prominent figure in blending Korean folk and popular musics, as well as an outspoken political activist and representative of youth culture. He composed the music for a 1981 film, The Ball Shot by a Midget, which was not permitted to be used by government censors who reviewed the film.