Lee Jong-hwan, one of the nation’s best-known disc jockeys, died of lung cancer at his home in Seoul on Thursday. He was 75.

He joined MBC as a radio producer in 1964 and became a star DJ by hosting two of its most-listened-to programs in the 1970s and 1980s.

In 1996, MBC awarded Lee a prize in recognition of his 20-plus years of service as a radio DJ. He was the first disc jockey to receive the prize from the broadcaster.

He quit a radio show of the network in 2002, taking responsibility for verbally abusing a listener who criticized him in a message to the program.

In July 2003, he left a different MBC radio program after hosting it while drunk. He then returned to TBS FM in April 2005, and quit for health reasons in November 2012.

He is regarded as creator of a cradle for guitarist singers who were in vogue in the 1970s.

In 1973, Lee opened a music hall, Cherbourg, in Jongno, Seoul, with two guitarist-singers. He played a leading role in attracting musicians there as well as making the place known to music fans across the country.

Cherbourg served as a debut stage for many aspiring musicians who sang songs while playing their own classical guitars.

Star singers of the 1970s and 1980s, including Lee Moon-sae and Byun Jin-sub, auditioned at Cherbourg.

Lee Soo-man, former singer and current chairman of S.M. Entertainment, also used to perform on the stage there.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)