Veteran comedian Gu Bong-seo dies at 90

"There is no retirement from laughing. I will retire when I die," comedian Gu Bong-seo said at his autobiography "Life on Comedy" in 1997.

Forever "Baby Brother" Gu Bong-seo, one of the greatest comedians in Korea, has retired from life on Saturday at the age of 90. Gu was hospitalized 10 days ago for pneumonia and his condition got worse suddenly, his family said.

Numerous comedians and Christians visited his funeral at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital to mourn his death. "When life was difficult in the past, he gave people hope through his comedy, which is a great inspiration to other comedians," said Song Hae, who last met his best friend two months ago. "I hope that he is having a good time in heaven with his fellow deceased comedians."

"Unrivaled was his outstanding acting skill not only in comedy shows but also in movies and musical plays," said Gu's mentee Eom Yong-soo, the chairman of Korean Broadcasters and Comedians Association. "He had a critical mind that saw through the society of our time and also had a warm heart towards the world."

Starting his career as a musical actor in 1945, Gu was one of the first-generation comedians in Korea along with Bae Sam-yong, Seo Young-choon and Gwak Gyu-seok. He appeared in about 400 movies and 980 TV shows, and created several trendy words.

Born in November 1926 in Pyongyang, Gu made his debut at the age of 19 in "Pacific Musical Troupe." He changed his career from musical actor to movie actor in 1956 by appearing in "The Wave of Love." He got the nickname "Baby Brother" from movie "Obuja" (1958) in which he starred with Lee Jong-cheol, Kim Hee-kap and Yang Hoon. The movie started the golden age of comic films and Gu continued to work as an actor until the mid-1960s. He also made an appearance in "School Excursion" (1969) directed by Yoo Hyun-mok, which received an award in the Tehran International Film Festival; the first Korean film to do so.

When people think of Gu, the MBC TV show "Laugh, and Blessings Will Come Your Way" is probably one of the first things that he literally achieved fame. He was never absent in the program for 15 years and eight months from 1696 to 1985. Gu also hosted radio show "Hello? I Am Gu Bong-seo" in 1963, one of the first radio programs of the Dong-A Broadcasting System, where he presented satires on society. In the five-minute one-man talk show, Gu made another catch phrase: "Is this okay? This is not okay." In an interview, he noted, "A comedy is not just about making people laugh. It should convey messages. Comedies without messages might make people laugh for a second but do not inspire them.

Before getting a surgery for a cerebral hemorrhage in 2009, Gu had still been active, saying, "A comedian is a rewarding job." He co-hosted comedy show "Do you remember that show back in the days?" in 2002, with Bae Sam-ryong (1926-2010). Gu was awarded the Silver Order of Merit in 2013. "I will be truly happy if, when people think about me, they say 'Yes, there was Gu Bong-seo. I liked his comedies,'" the veteran comedian said at an interview.

정양환기자 ray@donga.com