At the 'Popular Culture and Arts Awards,' the late Jeon Yu-seong delivered his final farewell to the public.
At the 'Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards' ceremony held on the 23rd, the late Jeon Yu-seong was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit, Silver Crown.
The late Jeon Yu-seong was a figure who, during his comedian days, called himself a gag man and newly laid the groundwork for the comedy scene. Junior Choi Yang-rak said of the late Jeon Yu-seong, "When he was mainly a comic actor who performed to fit the play, he went further and broadened his range," mentioning his achievements in expanding the previously limited realm of comedy, and added, "He planned Gag Concert and opened a new era of public comedy," explaining why he is called the father of comedy for training numerous juniors.
Thus completing the history of comedy, the late Jeon Yu-seong. Amid this, his last recorded interview was released on Sept. 22, 2025. He passed away on Sept. 25, so it was his final recorded voice just three days before he closed his eyes.
On why he was able to be loved by the public, he said, "I think I was loved for doing things others don't do. For example, others only talk and don't do it; wouldn't they take the train from Seoul to Busan?" and added, "But you can also get to Busan by bus. At times like that I actually went (by bus) and came back, and people find those (new attempts or experiences) entertaining." He constantly created new things.
When asked how he wanted to be remembered by the public, he also said, "Among gag men there are ignorant ones and learned gag men. I want people to be mistaken that I am a learned gag man who pretends to be learned but is actually ignorant."
On stage, to receive the award on his behalf, his daughter Jeon Je-bi gave a short but powerful remark: "Thank you for giving this precious award. This is not my father's final achievement; I will regard it as a new memory," and added, "Thank you."
Meanwhile, the 'Popular Culture and Arts Awards' is the highest government honor in the field of popular culture and arts, awarded to artists and organizations that contributed to the spread of the Korean Wave and the development of the industry. The 'Production staff award' is the only domestic award for production crews, honoring the unsung heroes of the field together with the public.
To select award recipients, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Korea Creative Content Agency opened a public call on their websites from April for nominations in the broadcasting, music, film and performance fields. Afterwards, a judging committee composed of experts in related fields reviewed the period and degree of public service and social contribution to select meritorious recipients and award winners.
[Photo] Broadcast screen capture
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