Preamble:
Who doesn't yearn for the star-studded stardom life? Who knows the inner reality of those screen superstars?
On December 29, 2022, the Korean film and television industry focused on a solemn and low-key farewell ceremony.
This is the funeral ceremony of Lee Sun-kyun, a "national actor" familiar to the people of the whole country, and it was held at Seoul National University Hospital.
When tens of millions of fans mourned, Lee Sun-kyun's widow Jun Hye-jin appeared with her two sons to see off her deceased husband.
Jun Hye-jin hugged her twin daughters, and her son held his father's portrait and wept silently.
50 relatives and friends mourned the deceased, and the scene was touching.
Under layers of sadness, we not only witnessed the curtain call of a superstar, but also glimpsed the peaks and turns of his acting career.
What kind of thinking will the death of a star bring?
How many twists and turns will ordinary actors in the film and television industry go through?
Vanity Fair is a true portrayal of a superstar
Lee Sun-kyun, a household name in the Korean film and television industry.
Born in a family of performing artists, he has been exposed to drama since he was a child.
As a teenager, Lee Sun-kyun showed an amazing talent for acting, first in the middle school drama club and then in the drama department of Seoul National University of the Arts.
When his peers were still confused about his future acting career, Lee Sun-kyun had already begun to play supporting roles in TV dramas.
After graduating from university, Li Shanjun officially entered the showbiz, and soon served as the second male lead in the TV series "Arnold's Youth", which became a blockbuster.
The next 10 years were the peak of his acting career, starring in hit idol dramas such as "My Sassy Girlfriend" and "Marriage Proposal", which made him famous and among the first-line actors.
However, the good times were short-lived.
In 2012, Lee Sun-kyun was exposed to a scandal involving marijuana smoking and K-thamidine.
For a time, it became infamous, and public opinion across the country was boiling.
This is undoubtedly a major blow to his acting career.
Lee had to suspend all performance work and was hospitalized for a year of compulsory drug rehabilitation.
After being discharged from the hospital, he suffered from depression and was stuck at home all day long.
Lee Sun-kyun, who finally regained his strength and was about to make a comeback, fell into the whirlpool of scandal again.
A female senior reported with her real name that there was an improper relationship between them, and Li Shanjun had no chance to turn over.
All the film and television producers terminated their contracts with him, and no company was willing to cooperate with the infamous him.
At this time, Jun Hye-jin, who has known Lee Sun-kyun for more than ten years, finally mustered up the courage to pour out her love for him to this calamitous actor.
The two soon entered the palace of marriage, and Jun Huizhen also gave birth to a son and a daughter to Li Shanjun in succession.
A few years after marriage, Lee Sun-kyun buried his acting career and had no plans to make a comeback.
He and Jun Hye-jin live a peaceful family life.
However, this peace was short-lived after all, and Lee Sun-gyun died mysteriously at the end of 2022 at the age of 45.
His sudden death brought great grief to relatives and fans, and also made people have to reflect on the dark side hidden behind the star group.
The loss of a loved one, the actor's wife mourned heartbreakingly
"Husband, you left in too much hurry, our children are still so young......" At the funeral ceremony, Jun Huizhen hugged her two young children and cried bitterly, her mourning and wailing almost penetrated the sky.
Jun Hye-jin, who has known Lee Sun-kyun for many years, has witnessed the whole process of the actor from the peak to the bottom.
When Lee Sun-gyun was facing a double blow to his career and life, it was the moment when Jun Hye-jin mustered up the courage to confess and tide over the difficulties together.
After marriage and childbirth, Li Shanjun, who became more and more honest and responsible, quit the entertainment industry and did his best to take care of his wife and children.
Jun Hye-jin also gave up her career and became a full-time housewife.
Unexpectedly, this period was not long.
Lee Sun-kyun's sudden death caught Jun Hye-jin off guard, and she wept silently at the funeral, grief-stricken.
"Why did you leave so soon, obviously we still have a lot of bright futures......" Jun Hye-jin muttered as she stroked her husband's portrait, her eyes almost losing their brilliance.
At this time, 10-year-old Li Jinlun came over and hugged his mother, and tears also flowed from his red eyes.
His younger sister, Lee Geun-eun, didn't quite understand the meaning of her father's eternal departure, and just stood quietly beside her mother.
Once so warm as a family of three, now it has cast an indelible shadow.
Relatives and friends who have known Li Shanjun for many years are also deeply saddened, some keep wiping away tears, and more stand aside and are silent.
50 relatives and friends bid farewell to the deceased, and colleagues in the entertainment industry remember the superstar
In addition to his closest relatives, 50 relatives and friends came to say goodbye to Lee Sun-kyun.
Among them, there are not only old friends such as college classmates, but the most touching thing is that the actors and staff that Lee Sun-kyun worked with before his death also came to the funeral scene.
Lee Geun-eun held the portrait of her father, her expression solemn and sad.
This photo was taken in the year when Lee Sun-kyun won the title of Best Actor, he was wearing a custom suit and was full of energy, which was exactly what a popular first-line actor looked like.
It is in strong contrast with the tragic situation of the coffin that I have left today, and I can't help but sigh and sorrow.
saw off Li Shanjun and other actors who had worked with him many times.
Yan Hui, the heroine of the masterpiece "Marriage Proposal", admitted that she was teary-eyed, and couldn't help but talk to Quan Huizhen to express her condolences.
Director Kim Man-seok, who has been behind the scenes for many years, couldn't help crying bitterly, he shouted "Our Brother Lin (Lee Sun-kyun's nickname), why did such an excellent actor leave so early......"
Director Kim Man-seok, as Lee Sun-kyun's mentor in the entertainment industry, is deeply saddened by the sudden death of his disciple.
Other actors and crew members also expressed deep grief and laid white chrysanthemum wreaths in front of Lee Sun-kyun's spirit.
"May the old friend go well, we will always miss you!" Everyone looked at the corpse with solemn eyes and offered their last blessings to the deceased.
The inner truth of the celebrity group rethinks the light and shadow of the entertainment industry
Lee Sun-kyun's death not only made relatives, friends and fans feel heartbroken, but also caused the outside world to think deeply about the Korean entertainment industry.
What are the real lives of those glamorous stars on the big screen?
Drug abuse, indulgence, suicide, these seemingly separated words seem to be the eternal labels of the entertainment industry.
Li Shanjun went from a smash hit to a ruined name, and his personal fate was full of ups and downs, which shocked the hearts of countless people.
However, he is actually just an ordinary example of embarrassment, and the life trajectories of many celebrities are full of joys and sorrows.
They are facing endless pressure from fans, the media and the public.
Celebrities need to maintain a perfect image under the spotlight, but whose life is really flawless? Comments poured in, and the psychological burden was self-evident.
Moreover, the road of acting itself is full of hardships.
In order to play a role, actors need to put their heart and soul into the night.
In between filming, they have to run around to gather resources and strive for more performance opportunities.
Family, friends, lovers, all personal relationships have to give way to acting careers.
Those false and unfortunate interpersonal interactions are even more difficult to swallow.
In order to get a chance to play a certain role, some people are willing to flatter the director; In order to rise from a small actor to a movie queen, many female actors choose to have a "no capital transaction" with the bigwigs.
When you are around celebrities, you may find that their lives are not as glamorous as you imagined.
Lee Sun-gyun fell into a trough due to the scandal, but it is a normal thing in this circle.
We can't judge lightly, but we should give celebrities more understanding.
As an audience, we appreciate their works and wonderful acting skills; As an ordinary person, you should care about the true inner world of idols.
This farewell is a mourning for the deceased and a reflection on the living.
Let's work together to bring some light and warmth to the Korean entertainment industry.
Epilogue:
Li Shanjun's life has experienced too many shocks and reversals.
What he has walked is a thorny road that countless artists also have to face.
We remember the deceased and the joy that came with his work.
Those characters will continue to remain in the hearts of the audience and become a strong stroke of the era.
Life is unpredictable, but beautiful moments are worth remembering.
Lee Sun-kyun's curtain call represents not only the joys and sorrows of his personal fate, but also the situation and imprint of this era in the Korean film and television industry.
In the movie gallery, his figure is always as brilliant as ever.
Everyone who pursues their dreams deserves to be honored.
Let's cherish every good time in our lives.
No matter what kind of life you go through, it will come to fruition and everything will be fine.