'Godfather of Comedy' Jeon Yooseong Passes Away... A Pioneer Who Laid the Foundation of Korean Comedy

First to Use the Term "Gagman," Mentor to Many Junior Comedians
Established Korean Comedy Culture Through Shows Like "Humor No. 1"

Comedian Jeon Yooseong, known as the 'godfather of comedy,' passed away on September 25. He was 76 years old.

According to the Korea Broadcasting Comedians Association, Jeon died at around 9:05 p.m. that day after his pneumothorax symptoms worsened. He is survived by his daughter, Jebi. The funeral will be held as a comedian’s memorial service, and the wake is at Seoul Asan Medical Center.

Born in January 1949, Jeon Yooseong debuted in 1969 as a scriptwriter at TBC. He later transitioned to become a comedian, leading the Korean comedy scene through shows such as "Jeon Yooseong’s Show Show Show," "Humor No.1," "Show Video Jockey," and "Gag Concert." He is also credited as the first person to use the term "gagman" during a time when comedians were typically called comic actors or comedians.

Jeon Yooseong was famous as an "idea bank." Among comedians, there was a saying: "If you run out of ideas, go to Jeon Yooseong." He once said, "I make people laugh more with writing than with words, and more with words than with physical comedy," and published numerous books. His notable works include the "If You Try for Just One Week, You Can Be Like Jeon Yooseong" series, "A Journey to Others’ Cultural Heritage," "Life Is Fun If You’re Just a Little Cowardly," and "Jeon Yooseong’s Tall Tales of the Three Kingdoms."

Jeon married singer Jin Mireyong in 1993, but they divorced in 2011. In 2018, he moved to Namwon and lived there with his daughter and her family.