The Korean voice acting world has lost one of its most beloved figures. Hee-sun Kang, a veteran voice actress cherished by anime fans across Korea, passed away on July 4 after a prolonged battle with colon cancer. She was 65.
According to Korean news outlets, Kang died at Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital after her condition deteriorated in her final days.
Son Pays Heartfelt Tribute
Following her funeral, her son — actor and producer Eun-seok Ahn — shared a moving tribute on social media, expressing gratitude for having been her son and describing her as someone he loved and respected with all his heart.
26 Years as the Voice of Misae
Kang was best known as the voice of Misae Nohara, Shin-chan’s mother, in the Korean dub of Crayon Shin-chan. She held the role for an extraordinary 26 years before stepping down last year due to her ongoing cancer treatment — bringing to a close one of the longest-running single-role voice performances in Korean anime dubbing history.
An Unyielding Fight Against Cancer
Kang was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2021, which later metastasized to her liver. Despite undergoing dozens of rounds of chemotherapy, she continued her voice acting work without pause. In 2023, she appeared on the popular variety show You Quiz on the Block, where she spoke candidly about her illness and revealed that she had kept recording even while undergoing treatment and surgery.
A Career Spanning Over Four Decades
Debuting as a voice actress in 1979, Kang built an impressive body of work over more than four decades. She provided the Korean voice for Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich and Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, and was also the widely recognized voice behind Seoul’s subway announcements.
Among her many honors, she received the KBS Voice Acting Award in 2005 and the Prime Minister’s Commendation at the 2018 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards — recognition befitting a career of remarkable depth and longevity.
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