"gag industry lend" Jeon Yu-seong's pleural effusion symptoms worsened and he died today (25th), and the funeral hall for the deceased will be set up at Asan Medical Center, Seoul.
Late on the 25th, comedian junior and Korea Comedian Association chairman Kim Hak-rae told OSEN, "It is true that Mr. Jeon Yu-seong passed away at 9:05 p.m. today," and "We are now going through procedures at the hospital, such as receiving the death certificate, and once those procedures are completed, we will transport (the body to Seoul) and the funeral hall will be set up at Asan Medical Center, Seoul. We plan to prepare it so that many mourners can come starting tomorrow," he said, announcing the official position.
Jeon Yu-seong's funeral will be prepared as a comedian's funeral according to the deceased's will, and many seniors and juniors are expected to visit the funeral hall.
Known as the "No. 1 comedian" and "gag industry lend," Jeon Yu-seong died around 9:05 p.m. that night at Jeonbuk National University Hospital where he had been hospitalized. The deceased passed away while his only family member, his daughter, was watching. He was 76.
Earlier, in a phone call with OSEN, Kim Hak-rae described Jeon Yu-seong's health condition as "serious. The doctors' predictions were already off. He was someone who should have passed away four to five days ago, but he was still holding on," he said.
He said, "(According to the hospital's expectations) he should have passed away several months ago. When I went to see him myself yesterday, he was only breathing with an oxygen respirator, and even that breathing was labored. But what's surprising is that his mind is clear. He even ad-libbed and joked with visitors, so he was that much intact," he added.
But because it was impossible to know when he would pass away, preparations for the funeral were being made in advance. Kim Hak-rae explained, "Since it could be today or tomorrow, we are preparing in advance for a comedian's funeral. This was instructed by senior Jeon Yu-seong while he was lying there. In that situation he instructed, 'For the funeral, do it as the chairman of the comedians' association,' and those around him thought it would be appropriate to hold it at a Seoul hospital. So it will be held in Seoul."
He said, "He has one daughter, and the bereaved family said they would cremate him and that there is a municipal columbarium at the foot of Jirisan in Namwon. They plan to keep him there for now, and what Yu-seong wanted was a tree burial. He said he wanted a tree burial on the slopes of Jirisan, but there is no legal way to do that right now. For the time being, they will place him in the municipal columbarium and move him to a tree burial site quickly once a facility becomes available," he said, expressing, "My heart aches more."
Jeon Yu-seong recently underwent a procedure related to pneumothorax, but afterward he continued to experience breathing difficulties, his condition worsened, and he was readmitted to the hospital. Due to health issues, he also missed last month's scheduled Busan International Comedy Festival "Comedy Book Concert," and rumors about his critical health followed.
Born in 1949 and 76 this year, Jeon Yu-seong is regarded as a figure who left an outstanding legacy not only as a comedian but also as a broadcast writer, performance planner, and film director.
He majored in theater at Seorabeol Arts College and took his first step into the entertainment industry as a comedy writer who wrote scripts for Kwak Gyu-seok, the era's top MC. In the 1970s, he built his reputation as a writer by writing scripts for TBC's popular show "Show Show Show," and he is also famous for being the first to propose and popularize the term "gagman" instead of the word "comedian." As a result, "gagman" came to refer not only to sketch comedy but also to a new type of performer who uses creative and witty humor, marking an important moment in establishing the identity of Korean comedy.
Active on top comedy programs of the time such as KBS's "Humor No. 1" and "Show Video Jockey," Jeon Yu-seong practiced "slow gag" and "intellectual gag," where laughter comes after a second thought, taking a path distinct from the slapstick comedy that dominated the mainstream. Especially true to his nickname as the "idea bank of the gag world," he provided decisive ideas for numerous juniors' segments.
Jeon Yu-seong's achievements did not end there. He played a pioneering role in various fields for the development of Korean comedy. In 2007, he established the country's first comedy-dedicated theater, the "Cheolgabang Theater," in Cheongdo, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and as honorary chairman of the "Busan International Comedy Festival," the first comedy festival in Asia, he worked to promote Korean comedy to the world.
Jeon Yu-seong also worked hard to nurture juniors. Already in his 20s he showed exceptional insight by discovering Lee Moon-se and Joo Byung-jin, and he is also known for recognizing singer Kim Hyun-sik and encouraging him to pursue a singing career. He discovered comedienne Paeng Hyun-sook, and while serving as a professor in the comedy department at Yewon Arts University he trained students such as Cho Sae-ho and Kim Shin-young. He was also the person who discovered and debuted actress Han Chae-young.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]