Koyote's Bbaek Ga reveals great-grandfather was independence activist

Bbaek Ga of the group Koyote has revealed for the first time, 20 years after his debut, that his great-grandfather was an independence activist, marking the occasion of Liberation Day.

In a video uploaded on the 15th through his YouTube channel 'Bbaek Ga Unnie,' Bbaek Ga shared his family history, which he had kept private until now, by introducing the independence movement activities of his great-grandfather, Jin Hee-chang.

Bbaek Ga opened with, "This is a very cautious story." He explained, "I have never mentioned this on broadcast before because I was afraid that by mentioning my great-grandfather's name, it might look like I am riding on his achievements." He further explained his hesitation, stating, "This is something I haven't even told my Koyote members, whom I have worked with for over 20 years."

At the same time, he emphasized that revealing his family history was not for the purpose of showcasing personal glory. Rather, he stated that he found himself becoming interested in the reality of the descendants of independence activists and gathered the courage to speak out because he wanted to help those descendants who are in difficult circumstances.

Bbaek Ga's great-grandfather was Jin Hee-chang (Jeongrim). Jin is known as a figure who supported the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and independence movement forces while active in Shanghai, China, during the Japanese colonial period.

After exiling to Shanghai in 1911, Jin Hee-chang supported the activities of independence activists while working as a supervisor for a tram company. It is reported that he aided the independence movement in non-obvious ways, such as providing safe houses and financial support for independence activists.

In 1919, he attended the meetings of the Provisional Legislative Council of the Republic of Korea and was involved in the process of establishing the national name and the Provisional Constitution. In particular, Jin Hee-chang is recorded as a comrade in the autobiography 'Baekbeom Ilji' by Kim Gu, confirming the role he played in the independence movement camp at that time.

Jin Hee-chang also contributed to establishing the financial foundation of the Provisional Government. In 1926, he organized the Economic Support Association of the Provisional Government alongside Ahn Chang-ho and served as a financial committee member. He is also known to have exerted financial support during the process of the Provisional Government establishing its office in Madang-ro, Shanghai.

He passed away in 1933, and the government posthumously awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Independence Medal, in 1980 in recognition of his contributions to the independence movement.

While introducing his great-grandfather's deeds, Bbaek Ga showed a cautious attitude toward asserting the fact that he is a descendant of an independence activist. He explained that as a celebrity who has been in the public eye for a long time, he has been wary of his own name and his ancestor's achievements being consumed together.

However, it is interpreted that he decided to reveal his family history for the first time on the occasion of Liberation Day to draw attention to the lives of the descendants of independence activists and to create an opportunity to reflect on their reality.

Bbaek Ga, who debuted with Koyote in 1998, has been active in various fields not only as a rapper but also as a photographer and entrepreneur. Recently, he has been communicating with the public by sharing his daily life and thoughts through broadcasts and YouTube content. Through this confession, attention is also being drawn to his family history and the historical context of the independence movement, which had previously been known primarily through his musical activities.