Following active oldest actor Lee Soon-jae, veteran actress Kim Ji-mi has passed away. A great star fell in quick succession.
On the 10th, according to the film industry, Kim Ji-mi recently saw her health worsen and died in Los Angeles, United States. She was reported to have been battling illness after a shingles infection and did not recover.
The Korean Federation of Film Workers notified the news of the late Kim Ji-mi's death after learning of it. The funeral for the deceased will be held as a film industry funeral, and a wake has not yet been prepared.
The deceased was born in 1940 in Daedeok County, Chungcheongnam-do, and debuted in 1957 in director Kim Ki-young's 'Twilight Train'. She left hundreds of works through the 1990s, and through works such as "land" and "Gil Sotteum" she worked with masters of the era, sweeping major awards of the time including the best actress award at the Panama International Film Festival and the best actress award at the Grand Bell Awards.
The late Kim Ji-mi was also active as a producer. After founding the production company "Jimi Film" in 1985, she produced seven films. She also contributed to film industry administration, serving as chairman of the Korean Film Association, Commissioner of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), and co-chair of the emergency committee to defend the screen quota, contributing to the overall development of the industry, and in 2016 she was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit, Silver Crown, in recognition of her contributions.
When news of her death was made known, the film industry expressed deep condolences. A representative of the Korean Federation of Film Workers paid tribute, saying, "She was an actor and film person who represented an era," and "Her very existence was the history of Korean film."
Before the late Kim Ji-mi, veteran actor Lee Soon-jae, who as the active oldest actor had been a profound example to juniors and the public, also passed away on the early morning of the 25th of last month at the age of 91. Because the late actor devoted his life to acting and worked hard to train juniors, many juniors visited his wake as soon as the news of his death was heard.
The master of ceremonies at the late man's memorial service was Jeong Bo-seok, who played the son-in-law role in "High Kick Through the Roof." He honored him, saying, "Each step the teacher took was a history that juniors can follow," and "a national actor who left an unparalleled footprint on Korea's broadcast arts." Ha Ji-won, as the president of the fan club, sincerely mourned, saying, "I still can't believe it. The teacher was a true artist who never lost humility in front of acting," and "the greatest teacher who personally showed me how to live."
The late Lee Soon-jae began in 1956 with the play 'Beyond the Horizon' and was active wherever there was acting, regardless of historical dramas, serious plays, or sitcoms. Especially attached to theater, the late actor reportedly expressed regret when he left 'Waiting for Godot to wait' after stepping down due to worsening health.
He also showed all-around activity by appearing in variety shows that gave great resonance to young people, such as the "Grandpas Over Flowers" series, and was active in entertainment as well.
[Photo] OSEN DB, photo joint coverage team
[OSEN]