Koo Jun-yup and the late Seo Hee-won's family. [Captured from Seo Hee-je's SNS]
Koo Jun-yup and the late Seo Hee-won's family. [Captured from Seo Hee-je's SNS]

Singer Koo Jun-yup was seen visiting the grave of his late wife, Seo Hee-won, alongside family members to mark what would have been her 48th birthday.

Seo Hee-won's younger sister, Seo Hee-je, posted several photos on her SNS on Tuesday, writing, "Today is our sister's 48th birthday," and sharing images of herself, their mother, Koo and other family members gathered at the grave.

The family dressed in matching pink outfits at the grave, which was adorned with pink flowers — Seo's favorite — and tried to keep their expressions bright. Koo appeared noticeably thinner, his face betraying the grief of missing his wife.

One detail that drew particular attention was a bowl of miyeokguk, the seaweed soup traditionally eaten on birthdays in Korea. Koo prepared it himself, and Seo's favorite cake and champagne were also brought to the grave.

Seo's two children, who could not be there in person, joined through a screen. Their grandmother held up a tablet, which showed the children holding a Buddhist prayer service and praying for their mother.

Seo Hee-je wrote that the family "sat beside her, cried, laughed and shared stories, and talked about how much we miss her." She added, "Next year I will be older than my sister. That means I'll have a superstar little sister" — words that deepened the sense of loss for many readers.

Seo Hee-won became known in South Korea for playing the lead role of Shancai in "Meteor Garden," the Taiwanese adaptation of the popular drama series. Koo first met her in Taiwan in 1998, and the two became a couple before parting ways about a year later due to the difficulties of a long-distance relationship. They reunited in 2021 and married the following year.

Their marriage, however, was short-lived. Seo died suddenly in February last year while on a family trip to Japan, after contracting influenza that led to pneumonia. She was 48.


betterj@heraldcorp.com