Song Hae laid to rest as his colleagues mourn

Song Bok-hee, also known professionally as Song Hae, passed away on Wednesday. His funeral was held at Funeral Home of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, at 4:30 a.m. About 80 of Song Hae’s family, friends, and colleagues in the entertainment industry joined the ceremony.

Comedian Eom Yong-soo, the head of the Korea Broadcasting Comedy Association, paid tribute to the beloved television personality by saying, “He was a magician who made everyone dance, sing and enjoy themselves. He made grandmothers and grandfathers relive their good old days and turned ordinary people into stars.”

The funeral home reverberated with Song’s voice from a documentary “Song Hae 1927”. Kang Ho Dong, Choi Yang Rak, Yoo Jae Suk and more were teary-eyed with sadness. As Song's voice calling "National!" was heard, the mourners responded by saying, "Singing Contest!" solemnly in unison. Yoo Jae Suk and Kang Ho Dong were the pallbearers of Song Hae's coffin as it was transported into the hearse.

The funeral procession headed to the "Song Hae Street" at Jongno-gu, Seoul, to stop by the office of the "Celebrity Sangnokhoe,” a safe place of the deceased, and a bust of Song Hae. Then the car headed to KBS, where the band of the show played the opening music of the show and Auld Lang Syne to bid farewell to the show's host. After the ceremonies, he was buried next to his late wife at Songhae Park in Dalseong County, Daegu.


imi@donga.com