89-year-old Kim Young-ok: "I was so anxious about Lim Young-woong"

Actress Kim Young-ok will reveal her extraordinary fandom for Lim Young-woong, her connections with stars formed through decades of acting, and her honest feelings after recently losing her husband. As the 89-year-old veteran actress continues to work actively, her stories about the music and people that have sustained her life are expected to create a moment where laughter and tears intersect.

Kim will appear on MBC's 'Songs That Survived Today - Playlist 109', airing at 9 PM on the 1st. The program features guests introducing their 'survival songs'—the songs that helped them endure their most difficult moments in life—and sharing the memories associated with them. As a project that completes a playlist of 109 songs by connecting the lives and music of various generations, it serves as a time for Kim, who has lived as an actress for a long time, to look back on her life through music.

The most eye-catching part of the episode is Kim's fandom for Lim Young-woong. She recalls laughing and crying while watching Lim's performances during her own difficult times. In particular, she confesses that while watching the results of Lim's competitions, she felt an anxiety she had never experienced before, wondering, "What if he doesn't take 1st place?" The fact that a senior who has watched the success and growth of countless junior actors for many years felt such heartache over a singer's ranking highlights her human side.

DinDin, who claims to be the 'representative grandchild of the entertainment industry,' expresses jealousy over Kim's fandom. DinDin asks her a sudden question: if she could only see one person between Lim Young-woong and himself, whom would she choose? It is reported that Kim's unexpected answer turned the set into a sea of laughter.

For Kim, the term 'grandchild' is not merely a variety show trope. Having worked across dramas, films, and theater stages since the 1960s, she has built a unique generational symbolism by playing mothers, grandmothers, or authoritative elders of prominent families in numerous works.

Notably, in the 2007 MBC drama 'Coffee Prince,' she left a strong impression playing the grandmother of Choi Han-gyeol, played by Gong Yoo. In the work, Kim formed the central axis of the drama through a character who symbolizes family order while not hiding her affection for her grandson.

Since then, Kim has formed connections with representative stars of the era, including Gong Yoo, Jun Ji Hyun, and Yunah, through various works. In past broadcasts, she expressed special affection for Gong Yoo by referring to him as her grandson, and she has shown affection for juniors like Jun Ji Hyun and Yunah with friendly expressions such as "They are all my grandchildren." She has maintained cross-generational acting relationships, working with Jun Ji Hyun in 'Jirisan' and with Yunah in other projects.

It is also noteworthy that Kim's acting career itself overlaps with the history of Korean popular culture. After entering the broadcasting industry, she expanded her field from voice acting to acting, steadily maintaining her presence not only in dramas and films but also on the theater stage. Even recently, she has been actively working, balancing theater and broadcasting to the point where she is described as the 'oldest active actress.'

Nevertheless, it is known that Kim once considered stepping away from her acting career. In this broadcast, she reveals that she "intended to retire at age 55," explaining why she ended up living as an active professional for a long time contrary to her original expectations. Her confession is meaningful in that the profession of acting became more than just showing her face to the public; it became a way of life that sustains her existence.

In particular, this year has been a year of great personal change for Kim. Her husband, former KBS announcer Kim Young-gil, passed away in May due to an illness. Former announcer Kim Young-gil entered the broadcasting industry as a 5th-term announcer at the KBS Chuncheon station in 1959, served as the head of the announcer's office, news manager, and broadcasting manager at CBS, and later returned to KBS where he retired. He met Kim during their time at Chung-Ang University, and after working at the same broadcasting station, they married in 1960 and had one son and two daughters.

The couple's marriage lasted for over 60 years. Kim previously recalled in a broadcast that she first met her husband in the Chung-Ang University broadcasting club, noting that she was a Korean Language and Literature major while he was a Political Science and International Relations major. She also shared that they grew closer after entering the broadcasting industry as an announcer, and they married after she changed her career path to voice acting.

Therefore, the scenes where she expresses longing for her family in this broadcast hold more meaning than mere variety show talk. While trying to maintain a bright appearance, Kim shares her honest feelings, stating, "It's a lie to say I'm acting brave." As an actress who has spent a lifetime expressing the joys and sorrows of countless characters, her story of facing real-life loss is expected to leave a deep resonance with viewers.

Kim continues to hold her place on acting sets even after losing her family. Her recent movement between theater and broadcasting goes beyond a simple record of working at an advanced age; it demonstrates the way of life of an actress for whom acting has become an inseparable part of her existence.

In this episode, a special stage for Kim will be prepared by DinDin. Claiming to be her "true grandchild," DinDin will perform a live version of his 'survival song' to convey his heart to her. It is reported that Kim eventually shed tears after facing the sincerity in his song. In a moment where Kim, who has been called 'grandmother' or 'the elder of grandchildren' by juniors for many years, is comforted by a junior's song, a touching scene will unfold.

To Kim, music is more than just background music; it is a device for memory that calls forth specific times. Just as listening to a song can revive people, places, and emotions from the past, for someone who has lived through 89 years, 'survival songs' serve as a medium to summon the time she has lived.

Her passionate fandom for Lim Young-woong still reveals a girl-like sensitivity, while her affection for junior stars like Gong Yoo, Jun Ji Hyun, and Yunah reflects the warmth of relationships accumulated over decades of acting. Simultaneously, her longing for her husband and family reveals the universal human experiences of loss and the passage of time.

The story told by 89-year-old actress Kim Young-ok may ultimately be less about 'living long' and more about 'how she endured.' As an actress who has lived countless lives for others, interest is gathering to see what memories she will bring forth as she looks back on her own life through song.