Bong Joon-ho and Song Kang-ho visit the funeral of the late Byun Hee-bong and pay their condolences in sorrow.

Actor Byun Hee-bong (real name Byeon In-cheol) passed away at the age of 81, and director Bong Joon-ho and actor Song Kang-ho, who worked with him during his lifetime, visited his funeral to pay their respects.

On the afternoon of the 18th, the late Byun Hee-bong's funeral was set up in room 17 of the funeral hall of Samsung Seoul Hospital located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Immediately after the mortuary was set up, directors Bong Joon-ho and Song Kang-ho visited the deceased's mortuary to pay their respects.

The deceased showed his presence by collaborating with director Bong Joon-ho during his lifetime. Starting with director Bong Joon-ho's 'The Dog of Flanders', he played major roles in 'Memories of Murder', 'The Host', and 'Okja'. He stole the audience's attention every time with his masterful acting that perfectly assimilated the character. Director Bong Joon-ho is said to have paid tribute to the deceased in deep sorrow at the mortuary.

Song Kang-ho, who co-starred in 'Memories of Murder' and 'Monster', also visited the mortuary in a month to pay condolences to the deceased. He had an interview schedule related to the movie 'Cobweb' that day, so he met with reporters, and as soon as he finished that schedule, he visited the funeral home.

Song Kang-ho, who heard the sad news during the interview, said, "I heard the news a little while ago and was distraught. We didn't see each other often, but I tried to contact you. Mr. Byun also came to pay condolences when my father passed away about five years ago." He also expressed his condolences, saying, "I heard from time to time that he was fighting an illness. It's so sad."

In addition to directors Bong Joon-ho and Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-bong's funeral is lined with wreaths and condolences from film industry figures and colleagues and juniors who worked with him. Park Hae-il and Bae Doo-na, who starred in 'The Host', as well as directors Jeon Do-yeon, Jeong Bo-seok, and Kang Woo-seok also expressed their condolences through wreaths.

According to the entertainment industry, Byun Hee-bong passed away on this day while fighting pancreatic cancer. The deceased is said to have been suffering from pancreatic cancer in 2018. Due to the prolonged illness, there has been no special work since 2019.

The deceased's funeral will be at 12:30 pm on the 20th, and the burial site will be Seoul Memorial Park.
Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr