The voice behind Seoul’s familiar subway announcements, veteran voice actor Kang Hee-sun, has died at the age of 65, according to reporting by the Korea Herald.
For decades, Kang’s voice accompanied millions of commuters and visitors through Seoul’s subway system, announcing upcoming stations and which side the doors would open. She recorded announcements for Seoul Metro’s Lines 1–4 beginning in 1996 and later for Lines 5–8 from 2018. Her voice was also used on public transit systems in Busan, Daejeon, Incheon, and Gwangju.
The Korea Herald reported that Kang was diagnosed with colorectal cancer that had spread to her liver in 2021. Despite undergoing 47 rounds of chemotherapy, she continued working, recording updated subway announcements for Seoul and Busan.
According to the report, Kang’s son said she remained devoted to her profession until the end, even recording subway announcements from her hospital room after her voice had noticeably changed.
Beyond public transit, Kang was also known for her extensive voice acting career, including work on the Korean versions of numerous animated series and films.
Following news of her passing, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon paid tribute on social media, describing her voice as both the beginning of many people’s day and a source of comfort at its end.
Source: The Korea Herald
