Colleagues United in Mourning the Loss of the 'Chungmuro Treasure'

Munsunggeun and Im Kwontak Bid a Sad Farewell to the Late Kang Soo-yeon
Participate in the Film Industry Funeral Committee to Accompany Her on the Final Journey

Public figures in the arts who worked with actress Kang Soo-yeon embraced their loss and mourned together. They reminisced about her achievements and connections, redefining the late actress's life story. She passed away on the 7th due to a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 55.

Upon hearing the sad news, actor Moon Sung-keun posted on social media, "Actress Kang Soo-yeon, an incredible actress, I prayed for you to rise bravely, but this is so heartbreaking. Rest in peace." Moon Sung-keun had worked with her in director Jang Sun-woo's film Road to the Racetrack (1991). They reunited after studying in France, playing R and J respectively, and both won the Blue Dragon Film Awards for Best Actor and Best Actress.

Director Im Kwon-taek, who led the 'World Star,' stayed at the funeral home with his wife, actress Chae Ryeong. Chae Ryeong said, "(My husband) is so shocked that he cannot speak." Kang Soo-yeon portrayed a surrogate mother living a tragic fate in Im’s Ssur (1987), winning Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival. She was the first Korean actor to receive trophies from the world's three major film festivals (Cannes, Venice, Berlin), earning her the title of 'World Star.' She also won Best Actress at the Moscow International Film Festival for Im’s Aje Aje Bara Aje (1989). She shaved her head to express a Mahayana Buddhist practice of saving sentient beings from worldly suffering, receiving critical acclaim.

Until January, she was filming director Yeon Sang-ho’s new work Jung-E, an SF film set in the 22nd century where climate change has made Earth uninhabitable. Upon receiving the sad news during post-production, director Yeon wrote on social media, "She was Korean cinema itself. Rest in peace, senior. I will never forget the past year I spent with you." He mourned, "It was an honor to work together. I will never forget every moment of actress Kang Soo-yeon, who gave her best for a great work." Other actors Yang Ik-june, Kim Gyu-ri, Bong Tae-gyu, composer Kim Hyung-seok, and singer Yoon Jong-shin also remembered her past footsteps and paid tribute.

The film industry formed a funeral committee for film artists with former Busan International Film Festival chairman Kim Dong-ho as the chair. Advisors include actors Kim Ji-mi, Park Jeong-ja, Park Joong-hoon, Son Sook, Ahn Sung-ki, Shin Young-kyun; directors Lee Woo-seok, Im Kwon-taek, Jung Ji-young, Jung Jin-woo; and producer Hwang Ki-sung. The committee members include film planners Kwon Young-rak and Shin Cheol; producers Kang Hye-jung, Kim Nan-sook, Byun Seung-min, Shim Jae-myung, Won Dong-yeon, Lee Eun, Lee Jun-dong, Cha Seung-jae, Choi Jae-won, Choi Jeong-hwa; directors Kang Woo-seok, Kang Je-gyu, Kim Han-min, Ryu Seung-wan, Min Kyu-dong, Park Jeong-beom, Bae Chang-ho, Byun Young-joo, Bong Joon-ho, Yoon Je-kyun, Lee Kwang-guk, Lee Jang-ho, Lee Chang-dong, Lee Hyun-seung, Jang Sun-woo, Choi Dong-hoon; actors Kim Ho-jung, Myung Gye-nam, Moon Sung-keun, Moon So-ri, Bang Eun-jin, Seol Kyung-gu, Yang Ik-june, Ye Ji-won, Yoo Ji-tae, Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Woo-sung; Park Kwang-soo, chair of the Seoul International Women’s Film Festival; Park Ki-yong, chairman of the Korean Film Council; Yoo In-taek, president of the Seoul Arts Center; Lee Yong-gwan, chairman of the Busan International Film Festival; Jung Sang-jin, CEO of Etna Film; Chae Yoon-hee, CEO of All That Cinema; film critics Heo Moon-young; Heo Min-hoe, CEO of CGV; and Hong Jeong-in, CEO of Megabox Central, who all joined as funeral committee members to accompany her on her final journey.

The funeral home is set up at Samsung Seoul Hospital Funeral Hall, Basement Level 2, Room 17. Condolences can be paid from 10 a.m. on the 8th. The funeral procession will take place on the 11th.