Actor Choi Il-soon expressed gratitude toward the late Jeon Yu-seong.
On the 23rd broadcast of MBN 'Special Report World', actor Choi Il-soon, who appeared in films such as 'Run Away with the Money', 'The Last Princess', and 'Confession', appeared and shared various stories.
With the late Jeon Yu-seong having passed away last year, it was none other than 40-year veteran actor Choi Il-soon who directed his final work. Choi Il-soon is currently carrying out the late Jeon Yu-seong's final work's post-production editing, saying, "During the film shooting he was admitted to the emergency room more than three times and was discharged and readmitted repeatedly. I did not know this would become his final work. Watching it over and over makes me feel as if he is still alive," conveying a heavy-hearted feeling.
Choi Il-soon revealed a handwritten notebook that the late Jeon Yu-seong had given him. Looking at the notebook, which contained phrases such as "The wind comes. Without warning. You cannot avoid it. You tear through your whole body and run away," Choi Il-soon, who read the handwritten notes, grew emotional once more and said, "This is the writing most like comedian Jeon Yu-seong."
After walking through the market, chatting with merchants and buying daily necessities, Choi Il-soon got on the truck, saying, "If it's not this vehicle, I can't even get into the house." After cutting through the valley waters and climbing a deep mountain road by car, Choi Il-soon's house, which he finally reached, seemed disconnected from the world. Explaining that he lives renovating a house that was built more than 80 years ago, Choi Il-soon said, "It is the birthplace where my great-grandmother was born and a house where distant relatives lived; I purchased it about 20 years ago and came to live here."
Choi Il-soon was filling his life with his own art in the midst of nature. His father, who worked in a mine, suffered a lung disease caused by coal dust, and with his mother having passed away early, Choi Il-soon went up to Seoul at 16 and began acting after accidentally seeing a play at the time. He married at 24 amid loneliness but experienced a breakup and had to leave his young daughter behind; exhausted by everyday life, he found meaning in life during an impromptu trip but remained deeply sorry about the child he left behind.
Choi Il-soon opened his own performance hall in front of his house and staged artistic performances. He worked on the road movie "Winter Picnic" in his studio. Choi Il-soon explained, "I sent letters to people I hoped would appear in the film. I sent one first to the late Jeon Yu-seong, and he gladly agreed, saying, 'I wanted to do work like this too.'" "Winter Picnic" became the late Jeon Yu-seong's final work.
Even in pain, the late Jeon Yu-seong, when the camera was on, forgot his pain and poured out his passion. Choi Il-soon explained the post-production process, saying, "He was unique, proactive and revolutionary. He was someone who led more than one step ahead, not just one. I approach the work thinking I must not be a burden to my senior." Choi Il-soon said, "After he was discharged from the hospital I called him, and he said, 'You've had a good time until now.' So I said, 'You should have more fun from now on.'"
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