Oh Se-hoon mourns voice actress Kang Hee-sun: 'She recorded subway announcements from her hospital bed'

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon expressed condolences Friday over the death of voice actress Kang Hee-sun, widely known as the voice behind Seoul's subway announcements.

Oh posted a tribute on his Facebook page Friday titled "A warm voice that filled the daily lives of Seoul citizens — we mourn the passing of voice actress Kang Hee-sun," writing that Kang, who had accompanied citizens through her announcement work on Seoul subway lines 1 through 8, "has left our side."

"When I heard that she had recorded subway announcements even from her hospital bed while battling illness, I was left speechless and deeply moved," Oh wrote. "That voice we heard every morning and evening was, for some, a signal that a new day had begun, and for others, a comfort at the end of a long one. It was a profound expression of her love for the people of Seoul."

He also remembered her as the warm voice of "Shin-chan's mom" — a role that touched the hearts of children and young people alike — and said he had "the deepest respect for her noble craftsmanship in standing before the microphone even while enduring 47 rounds of cancer treatment."

"On behalf of the citizens of Seoul, I extend my deepest condolences and pray for her eternal rest," Oh added.

Kang had served as the voice of Seoul subway lines 1 through 8 since 1996, becoming a beloved and familiar presence to commuters across the city. Even as she battled cancer, she continued recording announcements from her hospital bed until the very end. Tributes have poured in online, with many writing that they had heard her voice every day without ever knowing whose it was.