The Late Yoon Jeong-hee, Who Lived Like a Poem, Rests in Eternal Sleep in Paris, France

Memorial Mass Held in Korea

Actress Yoon Jeong-hee (real name Son Mi-ja) will rest in peace in France on the 30th (local time).

The funeral of the late Yoon Jeong-hee will be held as a family funeral at a church near Paris, France, on the same day. Yoon Jeong-hee's husband, pianist Baek Gun-woo, and daughter Baek Jin-hee, along with other family members, are expected to attend. After the funeral, cremation will be conducted, and the remains will be interred at the Vincennes Cemetery near Paris.

Film actress Yoon Jeong-hee [Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier that morning in Korea, a memorial mass was held at Yeouido-dong Cathedral in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, according to the wishes of some of the bereaved family residing in Korea. This cathedral was a place Yoon Jeong-hee visited whenever she came to Korea during her lifetime.

About 70 people attended the memorial mass, which was dedicated to Yoon Jeong-hee and nine other believers. Father Ju Kyung-soo Sebastiano, the presiding priest, recalled, "I could feel what kind of life she lived throughout her life. She was completely devoted, dedicated, and consecrated. In some ways, she even seemed like a figure similar to the Virgin Mary."

He continued, "Like the words of Apostle Paul, I think she ran the race to the very end. I believe the Lord will grant her eternal rest."

Born in 1944 in Busan, Yoon Jeong-hee began her career with director Kang Dae-jin's 'Youth Theater' (1967) and appeared in 50 films in 1968 alone, opening the era of the female actress troika alongside Moon-hee and Nam Jeong-im. She appeared in over 300 films until the 1990s, leading the golden age of Korean cinema.

[Photo by Yonhap News Agency (Gana Cultural Foundation)]

In 1973, Yoon Jeong-hee suddenly went to study abroad in France and married pianist Baek Gun-woo, who was active overseas, in 1976. She later earned a master's degree in arts from Paris III University. After appearing in the 1994 film 'Manmubang,' she effectively stopped acting, with her last work being director Lee Chang-dong's film 'Poetry' (2010), marking her return to the screen after 16 years.

Yoon Jeong-hee passed away in Paris, France, on the 19th. She was 79 years old. After it was revealed in 2017 that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, disputes arose between her husband Baek Gun-woo and Yoon Jeong-hee's siblings over her care. However, in March of last year, her daughter, violinist Baek Jin-hee, was appointed as her legal guardian. Although the deceased's sibling has again raised objections to the court's decision, and the lawsuit is pending at the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court is expected to dismiss the case without further review since the subject has passed away.