Kim Hye-ja and Youn Yuh-jung weep at Choi Bool-am's funeral

Actors Kim Hye-ja and Youn Yuh-jung embraced and wept at the Asan Medical Center Funeral Hall in Seoul on the 30th following the death of Choi Bool-am. The 87-year-old passed away at around 10 p.m. on the 29th while receiving inpatient treatment.

Actors Kim Hye-ja and Youn Yuh-jung embraced one another and wept at the funeral hall of the late Choi Bool-am. Having built long-standing connections through years of working together in the entertainment industry, the passing of Choi Bool-am was a difficult separation for the two. Their conversation, which began with calm greetings, soon turned to sorrow as the two actresses embraced, conveying their deep affection for the deceased.

Kim Hye-ja and Youn Yuh-jung visited the funeral hall for Choi Bool-am, located at the Asan Medical Center Funeral Hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 30th. After finishing her condolences, Kim Hye-ja encountered Youn Yuh-jung while being assisted by acquaintances as she was leaving. While the two greeted each other warmly, their conversation was tinged with the grief of losing the deceased and concern for one another.

Youn Yuh-jung spoke to Kim Hye-ja, saying, "Unnie, you look so tired from filming movies. But you did well. Shouldn't you keep going until you can live [to the end]?" It was an encouragement to Kim Hye-ja, who continues her work as an actress. However, as the conversation continued, Youn Yuh-jung appeared unable to control her emotions and embraced Kim Hye-ja.

Youn Yuh-jung burst into tears, saying, "It is upsetting," while Kim Hye-ja also reddened her eyes in silence. The sight of the two embracing for a while, as if comforting each other's grief, left a deep impression on those present. Youn Yuh-jung then asked after the deceased's wife, actress Kim Min-ja, asking, "Did you see Kim Min-ja unnie?" When Kim Hye-ja replied, "I didn't see her. There were so many people," Youn Yuh-jung headed back to the funeral hall after seeing Kim Hye-ja off.

Kim Hye-ja could not hide her longing for the deceased even in front of the press. "My head is complicated and I am just sad. I can't think of anything," she said, tearfully adding, "I wish I could see him open his eyes just once." Her words revealed a desperate desire to face the deceased's face one last time.

Despite her grief, Kim Hye-ja did not treat this as a final parting. "I do not think this is the end. We will meet again when we die, so please do not say it is the last," she said, adding, "Depending on how you think, there is no last time." She expressed her intention to live on while cherishing the many memories shared with Choi Bool-am. Her words, "I have many memories of that person, and I will live remembering them all. Why is it the last?" contained deep affection and an unbreakable bond with the deceased.

Kim Hye-ja ultimately shed tears, saying, "I want to tell him, 'Let's meet soon.' How long will I live? Let's meet soon. Because he is someone I miss so much, we will meet soon." Her words seemed to reflect an attempt to endure the separation through the belief that they could meet again someday, rather than through the disconnection caused by death. Her confession toward her longtime colleague and senior moved the hearts of those visiting the funeral hall.

A procession of colleagues and juniors from the entertainment industry continued to visit Choi Bool-am's funeral hall that day. Along with Kim Hye-ja and Youn Yuh-jung, Na Moon-hee, Go Doo-shim, Sunwoo Yong-yeo, Lim Hyunsik, Cha In-pyo, Kim Hye-soo, Yu In-chon, Kang Seok-u, Yoo Dong-geun, Gil Yong-woo, Yang Taek-jo, Kim Seong-hwan, Park Sang-won, Lee Kye-in, Lee Kyeong-jin, Kim Hye-jeong, Shin Hyun-joon, and Cho Yeo-jeong all bid farewell to the deceased. Lee Cheon-hee and Jeon Hye-jin (couple), Im Ho, Jo Ha-na, singer Jin Sung, broadcasters Lee Sang-byeok, Lee Hong-ryeol, Lee Hyun-yi, and Ahn Hyun-mo, director Bae Chang-ho, and Hanbok designer Park Sul-nyeo also visited the funeral hall to express their condolences.

Choi Bool-am passed away at around 10 p.m. on the 29th while receiving inpatient treatment at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. He was 87 years old. The funeral hall was set up at Room 20 of the Asan Medical Center Funeral Hall, and the funeral will be held for five days as the head of ChildFund Korea, honoring the deceased's lifelong dedication to children and youth.

The funeral procession will take place on November 2 at 7 a.m. Following this, a funeral mass will be held at Yeouido Catholic Church in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, presided over by Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung, and the burial site is Donghwa Gyeongmo Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The final journey of actor Choi Bool-am, remembered for a long time as a familiar face to the public, is accompanied by the tears of colleagues and countless memories.

Read the original (Korean)