Park Soon Dong, known professionally as Park Shi Chun, was a South Korean director, producer and music composer. He attended Miryang Public Primary School but he dropped out after his father fell ill and the family had to spend money on his medical treatment.

He made his debut in 1931 when he composed the song "Sorrowful Serenade" for Nam In Su. The song was a huge success and other singers began asking for songs. He made his debut as a film director in 1943 with the movie "Straits of Joseon". During the Korean War, he participated as a member of the Navy's Military Training Bureau and, while on duty, he composed the military song "Goodbye Comrades". After the war, he composed songs detailing the pain of experiencing a war.

In the 1950s, he switched between directing and composing and also debuted as an actor with a minor role in the 1956 movie "Hyperbola of Youth". In 1961, he served as the first chairman of the Korean Entertainment Association. In 1982, he received the Order of Cultural Merit from the South Korean government, becoming the first popular song composer to receive the award.

He barely appeared in public after receiving that award and on June 30, 1996, he passed away at the Seoul Central Hospital at the age of 82. He composed over 3,000 songs in his career, and because of this, he is regarded as one of pillars of Korean songs.

(Source: Korean = NamuWiki || Translation = kisskh) Edit Biography