The Secret of the Celebrity Soldier dug into the beautiful love of Clone Koo Jun-yeob and Taiwanese actress the late Seoheewon, and the parting that death tore apart.
On the 3rd, KBS2's 'The Secret of the Celebrity Soldier' focused on the story of Koo Jun-yeob and Seoheewon, a couple who miraculously achieved a 'reunion with a first love' that is hard to imagine happening in reality.
Clone, which includes Koo Jun-yeob, struck Korea in 1996. Music critic Lim Jin-mo analyzed, "When Clone appeared it was more than a shock; it was a revolution. Before them there were Hyun Jin-young and Wawa, Seo Taiji and Boys, Deux and others. If those before them were strongly influenced by U.S. hip-hop and pop, Clone added Western influences with Korean elements," he said. Koo Jun-yeob and Kang Won-rae came from Hyun Jin-young and Wawa, and after making a name for themselves at a club in Itaewon where Korean dancers gathered, they signed with an agency and debuted in 1996. At the time, the reason Koo Jun-yeob shaved his head was concern about hair loss; because his father had severe hair loss and it was known to be hereditary, he shaved his head early.
In their second year after debut Clone abruptly left for Taiwan. Critic Lim Jin-mo said, "There was an enormous reaction in Japan to Clone, but the Japanese music industry feared and rejected them because of their intense image, worried it would wreak havoc. That is why Clone went to Taiwan." At the time many things such as sunglasses, crop tops and shaved heads were banned in Korea, but Taiwan was freer in those respects, so Clone's popularity in Taiwan was tremendous, and Koo Jun-yeob was even chosen as the sexiest man by Taiwanese women. At the time the Taiwanese president's granddaughter was also a member of Clone's fan club.
Koo Jun-yeob and Seoheewon met on a Taiwanese variety show. Seoheewon, who rose to become a national actress after gaining popularity in the Taiwanese version of 'Boys Over Flowers', asked on that variety show whether Koo Jun-yeob had a girlfriend and even invited him to her home. A Taiwanese cultural critic said, "Seoheewon liked Korean culture. She traveled to Korea often, and one day after seeing Koo Jun-yeob's performance it is known that Seoheewon made the first move. So the two started dating, but at the time no one knew until paparazzi photographed them sharing a single coat and it became known," he said. The 29-year-old Koo Jun-yeob and 22-year-old Seoheewon started dating that way, but Koo Jun-yeob's agency opposed it, saying he should focus on his activities, and they ultimately chose to break up.
After the breakup Koo Jun-yeob focused on Clone and Seoheewon on acting, each doing their best from their respective places and becoming top stars. Meanwhile Seoheewon married a businessman in 2011 and had two children, but the marriage ended in divorce after 10 years. Having been unable to sort out her feelings at the time of the separation and struggling with malicious comments and the like, Seoheewon was seen to be in pain, and Koo Jun-yeob, who chose to break up, called when he heard of the divorce and their reunion took place. Kim Ina said, "When watching the broadcast Seoheewon hosted at the time, she suddenly burst into tears and seemed to have been having a very hard time," and Lee Nak-jun analyzed, "Most first loves occur in the late teens to early 20s, when the brain is sensitive to new stimuli. Because of the Zeigarnik effect—the phenomenon that the brain remembers and fixates far more on unfinished tasks than finished ones—it seems the impression remained deeper for the two."
After their reunion, a saying became fashionable in Taiwan that 'you should not change your mobile phone number for 20 years.' Although their love, which stirred up Korea and Taiwan, was widely discussed, Seoheewon's ex-husband spread baseless rumors that drew scowls. Lee Nak-jun said, "It was said Seoheewon had a weak heart; she had mitral valve prolapse. In a normal heart the mitral valve closes during left ventricular contraction so blood does not flow backward, but Seoheewon had a loosened mitral valve, one of the valves. Having this condition does not automatically cause regurgitation, but if regurgitation occurs blood leaks, so the heart must pump harder and more, which can cause heart overload and fatigue and decrease function," he said.
At the time, because of COVID-19 Taiwan blocked foreign entry, but family members were allowed as an exception, so Koo Jun-yeob proposed to Seoheewon and proposed over a video call. After Koo Jun-yeob went to the district office to register the marriage he headed to Taiwan and the two became husband and wife. However, Seoheewon's health was very poor at the time. Lee Nak-jun said, "I heard Seoheewon had a seizure and was taken to the emergency room when giving birth to her second child. The condition that can occur after 20 weeks of pregnancy, accompanied by high blood pressure and proteinuria, is called preeclampsia. Pregnancy-related high blood pressure is serious, and having mitral valve prolapse increases the likelihood of preeclampsia, and if preeclampsia occurs it becomes a factor that worsens mitral valve prolapse. This is what we call a vicious cycle. The only treatment then is delivery, so Seoheewon would have had a cesarean before her body recovered. The problem was after that; it is said Seoheewon was in a coma for ten days. It appears convulsions and seizures occurred as oxygen supply to the brain collapsed," he said.
Koo Jun-yeob cared for Seoheewon devotedly, and as Seoheewon's health recovered the two built a happy home. Although fake news that began with the ex-husband continued, Koo Jun-yeob did not pay attention and continued active activities, including DJ performances in Taiwan. Receiving love calls that swept up advertising and broadcasting, Koo Jun-yeob worked hard to prepare a home for his family. Seoheewon's younger brother Seo Hee-je said, "My brother-in-law wasn't very interested in money, but in Taiwan he worked hard to protect my sister. After meeting my brother-in-law I felt my sister had changed. She smiled like a child again," he said. Thus Koo Jun-yeob earned the nicknames "national brother-in-law" and "national son-in-law" in Taiwan.
The happy times were short. Seoheewon left on a family trip to Japan on Jan. 29, 2025, but she developed a fever and felt her condition was serious; she hoped soaking in the hotel's hot spring would make her feel better, but her condition worsened and she was taken to the emergency room. Lee Nak-jun said, "The first symptom of many diseases is similar to a cold. Seoheewon had an underlying heart condition, placing her in a high-risk group, making progression to pneumonia likely and increasing the chance of complications if it progressed. If there is a heart problem and inflammation occurs in the lungs the lungs can stiffen, raising pressure in the pulmonary vessels. Because of the pressure the heart's burden surges, leading to heart failure and pulmonary edema. Pneumonia can then rapidly worsen," and added, "They said she received antipyretics and the fever subsided, but for chronic patients a drop in fever can be a dangerous sign. Fever is evidence the body is fighting; a drop in fever can mean the body has surrendered rather than recovered. That's why hospitals would have recommended going to a large hospital."
Rather than being transferred to a large hospital Seoheewon wanted to go home, and her family bought plane tickets, but on the afternoon of Feb. 2, 2025, on the way to the airport Seoheewon's heart stopped. She was taken to a nearby hospital and received 14 hours of intensive care, but she did not regain consciousness. After Seoheewon's death fake news spread, including claims that her ex-husband had chartered a plane to take her away, and Koo Jun-yeob asked that people remain still so his wife could rest in peace.
One year after Seoheewon's passing, Koo Jun-yeob still remains in Taiwan. The production team of 'The Secret of the Celebrity Soldier' met Koo Jun-yeob at Taiwan's Jinbo Mountain, where Seoheewon's grave is located. As a year ago, Koo Jun-yeob prepared food for his wife and was having a late breakfast there. When the production team said, "We thought you might not come because it's raining today," Koo Jun-yeob replied, "Of course I should come. Seoheewon is lying here having a harder time than me." Residents who saw Koo Jun-yeob, who travels three hours round trip every day to be with his wife, said, "He had photos of them together stuck in front of the tombstone," "After that he placed the meals he prepared for Seoheewon on the tombstone and ate with her," and "He would play their videos on a tablet and keep watching."
Taiwanese citizens expressed sympathy and support for Koo Jun-yeob, saying, "I hope Koo Jun-yeob stays strong," "He really looks emaciated," and "He seems like a person who loves only one person deeply." Jang Do-youn said, "The production team spoke with Koo Jun-yeob for a while, but he couldn't say anything for a long time. Tears came in answer to every question. One of the things he painfully wanted to say was that he hoped Seoheewon would not be forgotten by the people who love her," she said.
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