[Edaily Reporter Gim Ga Yeong ] Actresses Kim Hye-ja and Yoon Yeo-jeong met at the wake of the late Choi Bul-am to share their grief.

Kim Hye-ja and Yoon Yeo-jeong visited the late Choi Bul-am’s wake, held at the Seoul Asan Hospital funeral home in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 30th. The two, who had come to pay their respects separately, met at the entrance to the wake, embraced each other, and shed tears. Kim Hye-ja was on her way out after paying her respects, while Yoon Yeo-jeong had just arrived at the funeral home to do so.
As soon as Yoon Yeo-jeong saw Kim Hye-ja, she repeatedly said, “I’m so sad,” and hugged her tightly. Yoon Yeo-jeong asked, “Did you see Min-ja?”—referring to the deceased’s wife—and Kim Hye-ja replied, “I didn’t see her. There were just so many people.”
Kim Hye-ja, who played the late actor’s wife for a full 22 years on the MBC drama *Country Diary*, expressed her grief, saying, “I don’t think this is the end,” and added, “We’ll meet again after we die, so please don’t call this the end.”
She continued, “I want to tell him, ‘Let’s meet again soon,’” and, with tears in her eyes, added, “I will live my life cherishing all my memories of him.”
The late Choi Bul-am passed away around 10 p.m. on the 29th while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. He had undergone surgery for a herniated disc last March and was undergoing rehabilitation, but it is reported that his health recently deteriorated, leading to his death.
Upon hearing the news of the passing of the late actor—who was known as the “National Actor” and “National Father”—President Lee Jae-myung, along with Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Kim Min-seok, People Power Party Spokesperson Cho Yong-sul, and National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sik, expressed their condolences. A steady stream of mourners has also been paying their respects, including Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young, former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon, and actors Na Moon-hee, Yoon Yeo-jeong, Cha In-pyo, and hanbok designer Park Sul-nyeo.
KBS has prepared special memorial programs honoring the late actor, who hosted “The Korean Table” for 14 years: “A Warm-Hearted Elder, Choi Bul-am—You Were Our Guide” and “Choi Bul-am, Keeper of the Table: We Remember You.”
The wake for the late actor is being held at the Seoul Asan Hospital Funeral Home in Songpa-gu. The funeral will be conducted by the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation, and the funeral procession will depart at 7:40 a.m. on the 2nd of next month.