Seo Se-won's 'dishonorably retired comedian' revisited

With the death of comedian Seo Se-won confirmed, the turbulent life story of a comedian who dominated an era and went through a disgraceful retirement is being reexamined.

According to a diplomatic source on the 20th, Seo Se-won, who settled in Cambodia for business, suffered from shock while receiving an IV at a local hospital in the morning and died of shock. It was reported that he was declared dead around 3 PM (Korean time).

Seo Se-won, who debuted through TBC Radio in 1979, was a broadcaster and producer who was active from the 1980s to the early 2000s. He received the grand prize at the KBS Comedy Awards in 1995 for KBS2's 'Seo Se-won Show', and in 1997, he enjoyed his peak by receiving a commendation from the Minister of Culture and Sports.

However, after a series of failed movie investments and rumors of involvement in various incidents and accidents, he was in trouble, and was even accused of stock price manipulation. In 2009, he was sentenced to two years in prison, three years probation, and a fine for stock price manipulation and embezzlement of company funds. Since June 2010, he was banned from appearing on KBS and pursued a career as a pastor.

Later, in 2014, when his wife Seo Jeong-hee filed a divorce and alimony claim against Seo Se-won at the Seoul Family Court, it was shocking to discover that the people known as the 'lovebird couple' were a 'show window couple'.

During this process, it was revealed that Seo Se-won assaulted Seo Jeong-hee, and Seo Se-won, who was indicted without detention for this reason, was sentenced to six months in prison and two years of probation, and divorced Seo Jeong-hee by agreement the following year. A year later, she remarried a haegeum player 23 years younger than her, moved to Cambodia, and has a daughter. With Seo Jeong-hee, he has a daughter, Seo Dong-ju, and a son, Seo Dong-cheon (Miro).

Seo Dong-ju, who is currently working as a broadcaster, published a book titled 'San Francisco Stranger' regarding his parents' divorce. Her father, Seo Dong-ju, committed domestic violence since childhood. He attempted to take out a fraudulent loan in his daughter's name, and immediately after assaulting his wife Seo Jeong-hee, he tried to frame it as negligence on both sides. There was a stir as he claimed that he attempted to harm himself and threatened to kill his daughter.

Although he did not officially announce his retirement, Seo Se-won was expelled from all fields, including as a comedian, film producer, and pastor, and in fact suffered a dishonorable retirement.

He left Korea with his remarried family and is known to have won a real estate construction project worth 3 trillion won, including my media business, in Cambodia in 2020. Last month, a YouTube channel captured him giving testimony and lecturing at a church in Cambodia, including singing hymns and laying hands on believers. This is why the news of his death, which came just a month after his current status was made public, adds to the sadness.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr