Lim Jin-mo Wore His Late Son’s Socks on You Quiz on the Block: “I Feel We’re Together”

Music critic Lim Jin-mo said he wore his late son’s socks during an appearance on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block because they made him feel they were together. The remark reflected the enduring grief and affection he has described for his son, who died in 2021.

A preview of Lim’s appearance aired at the end of the program on the 14th. Discussing music, he joked that it was hard to keep up with recent releases. Mentioning CORTIS’ “REDRED,” he said, “How am I supposed to keep up with songs these days? I can’t hear them.” He also said he would share his own way of listening to K-pop.

Lim also gave his opinion on BTS’ actions, saying, “The decision to boycott the Grammy Awards was refreshing. It was like a declaration of musical independence from the United States.” He followed up by asking, “Was that all right?”

The mood shifted when Yoo Jae-suk carefully asked about Lim’s son, who died in 2021. Lim said calmly, “He left me first.” Pointing to the socks he was wearing, he added, “These are my son’s socks. I feel we’re together.”

Lim’s eldest son battled a brain tumor for five years and died on August 6, 2021, aged 32. Lim said his son told him about the diagnosis after seeking medical care around the time he had completed military service and was in his third year of university. He underwent treatment and surgery but did not overcome the illness.

Lim has also spoken of feeling he could not provide his family with a better environment while pursuing a career as a critic. On TV CHOSUN’s Star Documentary My Way, he said he especially regretted not being able to give his children more pocket money during their adolescence.

His son was more than family to him: Lim recalled that he was his biggest fan. Lim once asked his son, who had a strong sense of style, to manage him, and said his son was delighted. They worked together for only about five months. Lim has said that if his son were still healthy and alive, he would likely still be by his side as his manager.

Lim has also been unable to throw away shoes his son liked. Socks and shoes preserve traces of their everyday life together, and Lim has described keeping such belongings as a way to carry those memories with him.

Known for sharp analysis and forthright assessments of music, Lim spoke as a grieving father about the regret and longing he still carries. Wearing his son’s socks on television, he said, was a way of feeling they were together.

Read the original (Korean)