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A memorial built around comedy
South Korean comedians, singers and magicians marked the first anniversary of Jeon Yoo-sung’s death with a television tribute that ended with an artificial intelligence-generated version of the influential comic addressing his protégés.
KBS 2TV aired the special edition of “Immortal Songs” on Nov. 7 under the title “The Jeon Yoo-sung Special Without Jeon Yoo-sung.” Rather than stage a solemn memorial, the program honored Jeon through comedy routines, music, magic and personal stories from entertainers whose careers he helped shape.
Regular hosts Shin Dong-yup, Kim Jun-hyun and Lee Chan-won were joined by special host Kim Shin-young, a longtime student of Jeon who was present at his deathbed. The lineup also included singers Yang Hee-eun, Kwon In-ha and Han Young-ae; magician Lee Eun-gyeol; and comedians from several generations.
Classic sketches return
The finale revived “Bongsunga Academy,” a well-known Korean ensemble comedy sketch, with performers associated with the country’s three major terrestrial broadcasters — KBS, MBC and SBS — sharing the stage.
Kim Shin-young brought back her “Haengnim-a” routine and performed traditional sketch comedy with singer and host Lee Chan-won. Park Jun-hyung revisited the physical comedy that earned him the nickname “Galgal-i,” this time grinding his teeth against a pineapple instead of the radish used in his signature act. Cho Hye-ryun and Ahn Young-mi appeared dressed as Gollum, the “Lord of the Rings” character, while performing A2O LITE’s “NEON.”
Near the end, comedian Kim Jung-ryul made an unannounced appearance and recalled Jeon’s wishes for his funeral. “If you are born, you are bound to die,” Kim quoted him as saying. “Do not be too sad at the funeral. Send me off with a joyful heart.” The cast then joined Kim in his familiar “Sungguri Dangdang” dance.
An AI farewell
As the dancing continued, an AI recreation of Jeon appeared on a screen behind the performers.
“This is fun. You are having a good time even without me,” the digital Jeon said. “I hoped a day like this would come, and it really did.”
The video continued with a message reflecting Jeon’s belief that comedy did not have to depend on television institutions: “Why do you need a broadcasting station to be funny? If you laugh and the people watching laugh, that is enough.”
It ended with a brief farewell: “Now get down from there. Good work.”
Stories from the people he supported
Lee Eun-gyeol said Jeon’s backing helped make South Korea’s first magic competition possible and opened opportunities for both Lee and the country’s broader magic community. He said he appeared on the program as a representative of that community and performed a magic act in Jeon’s honor.
Lee also recalled Jeon once calling him with an unusual proposal connected to the opening of a hospital in the Himalayas. The hospital was ultimately built, Lee said, and the project gave him another opportunity to spend time with Jeon.
About a month before Jeon died, Lee visited him at his home in Namwon. A younger magician photographed the two from behind as Jeon sat in a wheelchair beside Lee, both looking toward green mountains. Jeon’s daughter later told Lee that the outing had been her father’s last.
“I feel sorry, and also grateful, because it seems he took care of me even though I was the one who made the difficult trip to see him,” Lee said. Shin Dong-yup described the image as beautiful.
Kwon In-ha remembered Jeon as “a good older brother,” using a Korean term that conveys both affection and respect. The singer said they became close while regularly sharing meals and drinks in the 1990s, despite an age difference of about a decade. Han Young-ae said Jeon extended a hand early in her career and helped her secure an opportunity to debut. Yang Hee-eun, who was described as having known Jeon for 55 years, also took part in the tribute.
Jeon’s legacy
Born Jan. 28, 1949, Jeon studied theater directing and later led a university department devoted to comedy performance. He received achievement honors from both MBC and KBS in 2025.
Jeon died Sept. 25, 2025, at age 76 after his health reportedly deteriorated while he was being treated for pneumothorax, a collapsed lung. The Busan International Comedy Festival also honored him in August with a tribute titled “The Jeon Yoo-sung Show Without Jeon Yoo-sung.”
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