The late Jeon Yu-seong (76), a living legend of Korean comedy who introduced the word "gagman" to the world, left a deep impression as his final recorded voice interview was released.
At the "Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards" ceremony held on Sept. 23, the late Jeon Yu-seong was posthumously awarded the Order of Cultural Merit, Ok-gwan. His daughter, Jeon Je-bi, took the stage and delivered a brief but weighty acceptance remark, saying, "Thank you for this precious award. I will regard it not as my father's final achievement but as a new memory."
The late Jeon Yu-seong gave his final interview from his hospital bed on Sept. 22, three days before his passing. Even while short of breath, he did not lose his characteristic humor. He calmly said, "I think I was loved for doing things others didn't do," and "People enjoyed my new attempts." He also laughed broadly, saying, "I want to make people mistake me for a knowledgeable person who, when you look closely, is actually an uneducated gagman." Because he had been relying on an oxygen respirator, the interview recorded his labored breathing, but his voice, which remained upbeat to the end, moved listeners.
Earlier, it was reported that while alive he refused life-sustaining treatment and expressed the wish, "Please make my funeral a comedian's funeral." Kim Hak-rae, president of the Korea Comedians Association, said, "Even while relying on the oxygen respirator, his mind was clear. In that state he still joked and said, 'I'll be there ahead of you, so we'll meet soon,'" adding to the poignancy.
Jeon Yu-seong died at 9:05 p.m. on Sept. 25 at Jeonbuk National University Hospital from worsening pleural effusion. The funeral service was held on Sept. 28 at Asan Medical Center, and at the KBS open hall in Yeouido many juniors and colleagues gathered on a rainy day to send their teacher off with tears.
Meanwhile, in September, KBS2's Gag Concert aired a tribute video and closed with the line, "We pray for the repose of Jeon Yu-seong, who left the word 'gagman' on this land." In the video he shared his final philosophy, saying on stage during his healthy days, "Gagmen think a great deal to make people laugh. If you think one more time when others don't, a much more amusing world unfolds. I will finish now."
A wave of tributes continued online. Internet users expressed their condolences, saying, "A true gagman who never lost his humor even with labored breathing," "A wonderful person who ended his life by saying 'thank you' until the end," and "Teacher Jeon Yu-seong, who left laughter behind, rest in peace."
His final words were, "Thank you." That brief greeting was the warmest farewell left to the world by a master of comedy who spent his life making people laugh.
[Photo] Broadcast screen
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