A never-before-seen photograph of late comedy legend Jeon Yu-seong, taken about a month before his death, was shared for the first time on November 7 during a KBS2 Immortal Songs special dedicated to the comedian.
Magician Lee Eun-gyeol revealed the photo on the episode, billed as the Jeon Yu-seong special without Jeon Yu-seong, as he recalled an unexpected connection with the late comedian. The picture shows the two men from behind, looking out over green grass and mountains. Lee, wearing a black cap and black top, stands on the left, while Jeon sits in a wheelchair on the right in a light-colored cap, his frame visibly thinner.
Lee told the show he had travelled to Namwon about a month before Jeon’s death with a junior magician, planning to visit him at home, but Jeon insisted on coming out to meet them despite the effort it took. He recommended a restaurant nearby, suggested they dip their feet in Mount Jiri, and said the local tea tasted good, so the group went for a cup of tea together. “It was a very short time, but I think that moment will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Lee said.
Host Shin Dong-yup, seeing the photo on screen, said the view of the two from behind was so beautiful. An on-screen caption called it something to cherish for a lifetime, a beautiful memory shared by the two of them.
Jeon, born in 1949, was widely known as the godfather of comedy in South Korea. He began his career in 1968 as a specially recruited comedy writer at broadcaster TBC, later stepping in front of the camera, and he is credited with coining the term gagman for Korean comedians. He rose to fame through programs such as Humor No.1 and Show Video Jockey, and mentored generations of comedians across a five-decade career.
Jeon died on September 25, 2025, at the age of 76, after his pneumothorax condition worsened while he was being treated at Jeonbuk National University Hospital. He declined life-prolonging treatment and died after speaking with his children. His funeral was held as a Comedians’ Funeral, with the mourning altar set up at Asan Medical Center in Seoul.
The Immortal Songs tribute aired on November 7, just over a year after his death, with fellow performers remembering a figure whose wit and warmth helped shape Korean television comedy.
