Actor Yoon Jeong-hee, Breaking Chungmuro Stereotypes, Passes Away (Comprehensive)

Munhui and Nam Jeongim Open Era of Actress Troika
Contributed to Diversification of Female Roles, Established Reputation as Skilled Actors
Adult Guardianship Designated, Likely to Be Dismissed Without Additional Hearing

Film actress Yoon Jeong-hee (real name Son Mi-ja) passed away on the 19th (local time) in Paris, France. She was 79 years old. According to the film industry, Yoon, who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease, passed away in the afternoon in Paris.

Actor Yoon Jeong-hee

Born in 1944 in Busan, she entered the film industry in 1966 after being selected in a new actor audition while studying English Literature at Chosun University. Starting with director Kang Dae-jin's "Youth Theater" the following year, she appeared in 264 films. In 1968 alone, she appeared in fifty films, opening the era of the actress troika along with Moon-hee and Nam Jeong-im. The term troika literally means that they brilliantly adorned the silver screen and led the golden age of Korean cinema.

Her popularity was not simply due to the freshness of a new face. At the time, actresses were stereotyped as either the ideal wife and mother represented by Choi Eun-hee, Kim Ji-mi, and Jo Mi-ryeong, or the femme fatale portrayed by Do Geum-bong, Yoon In-ja, and Choi Ji-hee. Yoon Jeong-hee broke the fixed mold with an intellectual image distinct from Moon-hee and Nam Jeong-im. She delivered unique performances that transcended genre and roles in films such as "Mist" (1967), "General's Beard" (1968), "The Old Man Making Alcohol" (1969), and "Woman in Crisis" (1973). Contributing to the diversification of female roles, she established herself as a skilled actress, winning Best Actress awards seven times at major domestic film festivals including the Grand Bell Awards, Baeksang Arts Awards, and Blue Dragon Film Awards. Her representative works include "The Divine Bow" (1979), "Woman in Crisis" (1987), and "Manmubang" (1994). Her last work was "Poetry" (2010), directed by Lee Chang-dong.

Despite her busy acting career, she also pursued academic studies. She earned a master's degree from Chung-Ang University with a thesis titled "On Korean Actresses," and studied arts at Paris III University for nine years starting in 1973. Around that time, she reunited with pianist Baek Gun-woo at a Paris restaurant and married him in 1976, living in Paris ever since. She lived a romantic life, avoiding luxury and seeking comfort. In an interview during her lifetime, she said, "I live very ordinarily, but I always consider myself rich. I am grateful to have good friends, listen to beautiful music, and be able to travel around the world."

Although she worked sporadically, she never left the film industry. She expanded her role by participating as a juror at various film festivals, including the Montreal Film Festival in 1995, the Mumbai Film Festival in 2010, and the Dinard Film Festival and Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2006. After being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, she was unable to continue acting. It is said that symptoms appeared around the time of filming "Poetry." In a 2019 interview, Baek confessed, "She memorized long lines and acted while reading them. After that, she wanted to do one more film, so we read the script together, but it didn’t go as she wished. It was even difficult for her to go up to receive an award."

The legal guardian was her daughter, Baek Jin-hee. She applied for and was approved by the French court, and in 2020, she also filed a petition for the commencement of adult guardianship with a Korean court. Adult guardianship is a system where the court appoints a guardian to support property management and personal protection for those who lack the capacity to handle affairs due to illness or old age. The deceased’s sibling opposed the appointment of the guardian, claiming neglect by the mother and daughter. The court did not accept the objection and appointed Baek as the guardian through the second trial. The deceased’s sibling raised objections again, and the lawsuit is currently pending at the Supreme Court. Since the subject has passed away, the Supreme Court is expected to dismiss the case without further review.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.