Former group Clon singer Kang Won-rae revealed recent news after the death of longtime colleague Koo Jun-yeob's wife, the late Seo Hui-won.
Kang Won-rae appeared as a guest on KBS 1 Radio's Se-sang-ui modeun jeongbo Yoon In-gu-imnida (abbreviated Yoon In-gu-imnida) broadcast on the 17th.
Debuting in 1996 as the dance duo Clon with Koo Jun-yeob, Kang Won-rae received great love with many hit songs such as "Kung Dari Shabara" and "Choryeon." However, in 2000, while riding a motorcycle in a certain location in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, he suffered an unexpected traffic accident caused by an illegal u-turning vehicle and was diagnosed with paralysis of the lower body.
Even after being certified as disabled, Kang Won-rae continued his activities, appearing on numerous broadcast programs and delivering messages of hope. In particular, he reunited with Koo Jun-yeob, who had been active with him in Clon, in Taiwan this past Feb., drawing attention. At that time, Kang Won-rae visited the grave of Koo Jun-yeob's wife, Seo Hui-won, and expressed enduring loyalty and closeness.
Regarding this, Kang Won-rae expressed deep gratitude for the friendship that carried him, saying, "Koo Jun-yeob carried me, who weighs 78kg, up the stairs." Seo Hui-won's grave on Jinbaosan in Taiwan is a place inaccessible by wheelchair. Accordingly, Koo Jun-yeob personally carried Kang Won-rae up the stairs.
Kang Won-rae said, "I went to Taiwan and met him a few times, but there wasn't much to say. What words would be comforting? When he stayed still, he said, 'It doesn't feel real.' Both Koo Jun-yeob and I, and everyone in this world who has been hurt, have a medicine. That medicine is time. I hope that time will not be too long, and I cheer for him."
He continued, "I visited on the first anniversary of his wife's death. Because they couldn't hold a funeral, they had made and erected a statue of his wife. It seems Koo Jun-yeob designed it with the hope that many people would remember his wife. It's very pretty."
He also said, "The reason Koo Jun-yeob didn't want to meet many people was that he cries a lot and didn't want to show that. He had told me not to come. So I went without thinking and met him in front of the grave. There are more than 20 steps, and he carried me up. I have gained a lot of weight and Koo Jun-yeob has lost a lot, but he still carried me up," expressing emotion.
Kang Won-rae added, "When I went to the grave, Koo Jun-yeob told me to wait a moment. He had brought three lunchboxes. Eating breakfast and lunch together with his wife was part of his daily routine. Today he had even prepared one for me to eat together, and I cried for 30 minutes. Of all days, it even rained. The fact that he is still living that way—it's hard as a friend to tell him not to, so I think I should wait until he accepts it. He's lost a lot of weight, but he's such a healthy friend physically that I hope the emotional wounds harden into calluses quickly."
Koo Jun-yeob married his former lover Seo Hui-won in 2022, drawing attention. However, last Feb., three years after their marriage, Seo Hui-won suddenly passed away, evoking sadness. Afterwards, Koo Jun-yeob is known to have been staying by his wife's grave.
[Photo] SNS source, KBS provided.
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