Korean broadcaster Jo Young-gu has shared a touching story about the late actress Choi Jin-sil, 18 years after her passing, expressing his gratitude.
On the 15th, a video titled 'Jo Young-gu, Kim Tae-jin, Ha Ji-young, Park Seul-gi, Kim Sae-rom: Is This Combination Real? Laughed and Cried, First Behind-the-Scenes of the Entertainment Industry' was uploaded on the YouTube channel 'YouTube Ha Ji-young.' The video featured reporters who were active in major Korean entertainment programs such as SBS's 'Night of TV Entertainment,' MBC's 'Section TV Entertainment Communication,' and KBS 2TV's 'Entertainment Weekly,' sharing stories about their past reporting experiences and on-site episodes.
In the video, Jo Young-gu began by saying, "I often think of the entertainers who have left us. Isn't it tragic?" He cautiously mentioned the 1994 attempted kidnapping incident involving the late actress Choi Jin-sil, explaining, "It was chaos at the time. After the incident was reported, about 30 to 40 reporters gathered to interview her."
Jo Young-gu recalled that actress Kim Hye-ja, who starred alongside Choi Jin-sil in the movie 'Mayonnaise,' had once restricted interviews, saying, "No one should interview Choi Jin-sil today, and if anyone does, I won't let it slide."
Despite the tense atmosphere, Jo Young-gu shared, "I had to interview her to avoid criticism, so I waited alone and asked Choi Jin-sil if she could give me an interview." He continued, "(Choi Jin-sil) saw me and agreed to a brief interview. She did it just for me because we had worked together a lot. I felt a sense of loyalty there. She must have been struggling too, and I was genuinely grateful."
Meanwhile, Jo Young-gu debuted as a first-generation public MC for SBS in 1994 and has been active in various entertainment programs. The late actress Choi Jin-sil passed away on October 2, 2008. Her daughter, Choi Jun-hee, is set to marry a non-celebrity 11 years her senior on May 16.
Lee Soo-min, Ten Asia Reporter danbilee19@tenasia.co.kr