The Original K-Pop Sensation: The Kim Sisters

Written by Ryan Berkebile

In recent times, Korea has successfully exported its culture to larger audiences around the world through pop idol groups, K-dramas, and critically acclaimed movies. As a result, more people are aware of Korea as a country these days. These forms of media have inspired many around the world to learn the language and have brought more tourists each year. However, the soft power successes of today haven’t always been the case. They’re a vast contrast from the 1950–1960s Cold War-era South Korea, a time when the country was still recovering from colonialism and civil war. In this context, it’s fascinating to hear the story of how the Kim Sisters become a success in 1960s America.

The Kim Sisters were the first Korean musical export from Asia to make it big in America. They dazzled audiences with their choreography, songs, and ability to play multiple instruments. While the girls performed out of economic necessity, the biggest reason for their success was Lee Nan-young (이난영), the mother of group members Sook-ja (김숙자) and Ae-ja (김애자), and aunt to Min-ja (김민자). Lee, a well-known performer at the time, instilled a strong work ethic into her family. Her vision aided the Kim Sisters in standing out among the other groups performing on the Las Vegas strip at the time. On the surface, it seems their story has been lost in a contemporary culture that focuses on the newest sensation and discards anything out-of-date. However, thanks to the dedicated artists inspired by their career and archivists who’ve uploaded Kim Sisters media to YouTube, we can always remember what made the group special.

While this article will focus on the career of the Kim Sisters, their story couldn’t be told without reference to their family. The Kim Sisters came from an impressive musical tree, and performing was in their bones. Lee, the driving force behind the group, was the original singer of “Mokpo’s Tears” (목포의 눈물) a song that’s still revered and covered by singers today in Korea. Sook-ja and Ae-ja’s father was Kim Hae-song (김해송), an acclaimed musician, singer, and composer in his own right who wrote the song “Welcoming the Spring” (봄맞이), a song that would later appear as “Korean Spring Song” on the Kim Sisters’ 1960 debut album for Monument Records in the U.S. Min-ja’s father was Lee Bong-ryong (이봉룡), Lee Nan-young’s brother who was also a famous musician at the time. He was asked to write songs for the girls to perform. One notable song he composed was “Kimchi Ggakddugi” (김치 깍뚜기), a song the Kim Sisters would perform on their big homecoming to Korea in 1970.

Before their rise to success in America, the singing trio of young girls performed for U.S. soldiers on army bases to earn food to support their family. Soldiers would reward the act with beer and chocolate, which they’d barter for real food. Although the Kims came from a famous musical family, the war had taken a toll on their lives, as the family had lost their house during the war. Kim Hae-song was abducted by North Korea and later executed, requiring the entire Kim family to work for their livelihood. Lee Nan-young taught the girls to sing popular American songs of the day despite not speaking any English. The trio learned to sing the songs phonetically.

Lee Nan-young pushed them to learn as many instruments as they could. Sook-ja remembers her mother assigning her to learn tenor sax, Ae-ja the alto sax, and Min-ja the drums.[1] Lee also directed them to learn Korean instruments such as the stringed gayageum (가야금) and traditional drums like the janggu (장구). She also advised Sook-ja to perform under the name Sue, and Min-ja to use the name Mia. It was a taxing and stressful time for the young girls, but Min-ja remembers her aunt motivating them to practice by bribing them with bananas, a rare treat in Korea back in the day.[2] The hard work and persistence paid off, as U.S. soldiers spread the word about this talented trio. Word spread to entertainment producer Tom Ball, who flew to Korea in 1958 to scout them. Ball was enamored by their performance and signed them immediately.

After a year-long wait, the Kim Sisters arrived in America in 1959. The mother would have to wait another three years until the girls were famous before she could gain entry into the U.S. In the meantime, the girls continued to heed her instructions. For example, Lee forbade them to date until they were 23.[1] Sook-ja, Ae-ja, and Min-ja continued to lean new instruments like the banjo, bagpipes, and marimba. As America already had famous singing sibling trios like the Andrew Sisters and the Maguire Sisters, the Kim Sisters needed to make a strong impression on audiences in order to make it through their month-long run of shows at the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas. The excitement the Kim Sisters stirred during these shows led to an opportunity to perform at the Stardust Hotel.

It was during their stay at the Stardust that American talk show host Ed Sullivan caught wind of their electric performances. Sullivan liked to have performers from all over the world on his show and offered them a spot. The Kim Sisters became an overnight success. Their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show (the first of 22 total appearances on the show!) led to invitations to perform on other American variety shows like The Dean Martin Show and The Dinah Shore Show. Top labels like Monument Records, Epic Records, and Mercury Records offered the Kim Sisters recording contracts. The trio would perform together until the mid-70s, when life changes such as marriage and family would take priority.

After the trio went their separate ways, Ae-ja would pass away from lung cancer in 1987. Sook-ja semi-retired from performing and pursued a career in real estate. Min-ja moved to Hungary with her musician husband Tommy Vig and is still actively performing throughout the world. Both Sook-ja and Min-ja have come back to Korea numerous times to perform. Sook-ja has returned to perform festivals with her brothers, while Min-ja does solo shows. While it seems the memory of the Kim Sisters has faded in the public eye, contemporary artists are paying homage to the group.

A modern trio called The Barberettes has spread the word about the Kim Sisters, inspiring others to discover their music and their history. The retro doo-wop act has covered the Kim Sisters’ songs in concert, having the honor to perform with Sook-ja and Min-ja on stage. 2017 saw the release of a Kim Dae-hyun (김대현) directed documentary called Try to Remember (다방의 푸른 꿈), which chronicles the lives of Min-ja and the Kim Sisters. Finally, their tale lives on YouTube, where you can watch old performances and listen to their out-of-print albums and 45-rpm singles. The story of the Kim Sisters lives on and is available with but a few clicks of the mouse for those curious to investigate.

References
1 Lee Kwon, Myoung-Ja. (1997). An interview with Sook-Ja Kim. Retrieved from https://www.library.unlv.edu/sites/default/files/documents/blogs/kim_sisters_transcript.pdf
2 Yim, Seung-hee. (2017, January 31). The Kim Sisters, pioneering K-pop stars, recall their journey: New documentary “Try to Remember” tells the story of the trio who dominated Vegas Strip. Retrieved from the Korea JoongAng Daily website: http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3029196

The Author
Ryan Berkebile recently packed his bags and left Gwangju for big city life in Gyeonggi-do. He has left a piece of his heart in the City of Light and solemnly vows to make regular visits back to the Gwangju International Center and The First Alleyway.