Broadcaster Hong Jin Kyung showed her unchanged friendship toward the late actress Choi Jin-sil.
Hong Jin Kyung shared an update on her personal YouTube channel "Study King True Genius Hong Jin Kyung (abbreviated True Genius)" on the 16th. In a video titled "After disappearing for 4 months, Hong Jin Kyung returns as a 'glamorous single': unprecedented update (24-hour close coverage)," she revealed a holiday spent with the True Genius production team.
She started her day at the cathedral as early as 5 a.m., before sunrise. Coincidentally, the day of filming, the 2nd, was the anniversary of Choi Jin-sil's death. As a Catholic, Hong Jin Kyung paid tribute to Choi Jin-sil and her younger brother, the late singer Choi Jin-young, at the early morning mass.
Choi Jin-sil died on Oct. 2, 2008, at the age of 40. Marking its 17th anniversary this year, she is still remembered as a top actress with a beautiful smile. Because Hong Jin Kyung had been a close entertainment industry colleague of Choi Jin-sil when she was alive, the anniversary was especially meaningful to her.
In the new True Genius video, which returned after four months, Hong Jin Kyung's first schedule was to visit Choi Jin-sil's grave. In recent years Hong Jin Kyung had deliberately avoided visiting Choi Jin-sil's gravesite to avoid encountering fans and the media.
But that day was different. Hong Jin Kyung placed a flower basket she had prepared herself at Choi Jin-sil's grave, and upon seeing that someone had left soju, dried pollock and candy, she expressed delight, saying, "Someone left these here."
She recalled her memories with the deceased, saying, "I just wanted to come. It's my first time in years. Unni was such a good person. She was kind, soft and passionate. She was fun when she was alive. When we went to the ski resort, 'auntie' would follow us and cook at the condo. The ski group included my ex, Rael's father. Unni, the stylist, was in that group."
Hong Jin Kyung added, "We used to casually book hotel rooms among ourselves and hang out. We would play all night and come out bedraggled. It was like being stranded on some island. I don't know why my nails got dirty while we were at the hotel. Unni bought an open-top car and we joyfully drove across Hannam Bridge to Yongsan," she said, laughing.
On her way back after paying her respects, the deceased's son Hwan-hee called Hong Jin Kyung. Hwan-hee laughed, saying, "I saw my aunt on the way there," and added, "I saw you on the street talking on the phone but couldn't greet you. See you again soon," which added warmth to the moment.
Hong Jin Kyung said awkwardly, "I must have been talking so loudly on the phone that they saw me on the street," but she also said with a smile, "I keep in touch (with Hwan-hee and Jun-hee). Now that they're grown, they go out with their partners and drink together," showing her affection. The enduring, close relationship between Hong Jin Kyung and Hwan-hee and Jun-hee, as if she were still their aunt after Choi Jin-sil's death, was touching.
[Photo] OSEN DB, YouTube source.
[OSEN]