On the 25th, after news broke of the death of Jeon Yu-seong, the "godfather of comedy," the comedy community fell into deep sorrow. Colleagues in the entertainment industry expressed their condolences in memory of the deceased.
Comedian Park Jun-hyung posted on his social media (SNS) on the 25th, saying, "On Jun. there was an event to create a bookshelf at Namsan Library with a book written by comedians. It was Senior Jeon Yu-seong's idea," and added, "At the official event, he said he felt dizzy and asked me to hold his hand, so I supported him the whole time he spoke. I remember that." He continued, "His hands were thin and gaunt, but the spirit and humor in his words were truly remarkable. That was just three months ago," and wrote, "Today of all days, life feels so short. Even so, he must have left laughter that lasts long. Senior, please rest in peace in a better place now."
Comedienne Lee Kyung-sil also shared her final conversation with the late Jeon Yu-seong on SNS on the 26th. Lee said, "A towering elder, the great older brother of our comedy scene and the comedy community, has passed away," and recalled, "After finishing a Wednesday recording, thinking that if not now it would be too late, I arrived at Jeonbuk National University Hospital around 5:30 p.m. and found that our older brother's family—his daughter and son-in-law—were there, and junior Kim Shin-young never left his side, changing wet towels and nursing him."
She continued, "I had a short but deep conversation with him. Jeon Yu-seong tried to say even one more word to me, such as, 'Thank you for coming, and I am always proud of you. Stay healthy,'" and paid tribute, saying, "You have worked hard. Your life was admirable and splendid. I hope you no longer suffer and that you fall into a peaceful sleep."
Cho Hye-ryeon also posted a photo taken with the deceased on SNS the same day and said, "I was grateful to be able to hold Brother Yu-seong's hand and pray earnestly, and I was grateful that at the end of the prayer he said 'amen,'" adding, "Thank you for creating comedy so that struggling people could smile. I respect you. I love you. Let's meet again in heaven."
Shin Bong-seon, a disciple personally discovered by the deceased, mourned by posting a solid black background on her SNS without any comment.
Comedian Kim Young-chul shared the news of the death of the deceased while holding back tears on SBS Radio "Kim Young-chul's Power FM," which aired that morning, saying, "It's heartbreaking news. He is an eternal senior to us, and hearing the news made me feel a certain way. We worked together on 'Gag Concert,' and when I was a rookie, he bought me three books." He added, "I did visit him last year, but this morning brings many thoughts. I will pray that he rests peacefully in a better place."
Tributes from other figures in the entertainment industry also continued. Singer Yang Hee-eun expressed her sorrow on SNS, saying, "Farewell, Brother Yu-seong. Since we first saw the stage at Cheonggaeguri in 1970, we've known each other for 55 years," and, "Even when I saw you a few days ago, I didn't know it would be the last time. You promised that once you recovered, you would come see me first."
The Busan International Comedy Festival (BICF), where Jeon Yu-seong served as honorary chair, posted a tribute, saying, "A great star of Korea's comedy community, Teacher Jeon Yu-seong, has left our side," and noted, "Always accompanied by the modifier 'first,' he was a pioneer of Korean comedy who consistently forged new paths." It added, "Not only did he leave countless iconic moments on broadcast and stage, he also inspired many junior comedians as a reliable teacher and mentor," and paid tribute, saying, "His footsteps will remain in the history of Korean comedy for a long time."
Jeon Yu-seong died at age 76 at 9:05 p.m. on the 25th at Jeonbuk National University Hospital, where he had been hospitalized, after his pneumothorax symptoms worsened. The mortuary has been set up at the Seoul Asan Medical Center funeral hall. The funeral will be held with honors for a comedian.