Diplomats, celebrities mourn icon
Friends, acquaintances and even influential public figures ceaselessly stopped by to pay respects to Korea’s fashion industry pioneer Andre Kim at the Seoul National University Hospital mortuary in Yeongeon-dong on Thursday and Friday.
The top South Korean designer died at around 7: 25 p.m. on Thursday after being treated for colorectal cancer and pneumonia. He had been fighting cancer for several months and was hospitalized at an intensive care unit last month due to deteriorating health.
The funeral parlor was quiet and solemn even though it overflowed with mourners and reporters.
Staff members of the Andre Kim Atelier, clad in black skirts and white blouses with puffed shoulders and bearing the Andre Kim signature label, were often spotted coming in and out to cater to the visitors.
Culture minister Yu In-chon arrived at the hospital around 11:40 p.m. on Thursday and offered his condolences to Kim’s surviving family members. Kim, who was unmarried, is survived by a son he adopted in 1982 and two grandchildren.
Many actors, actresses, comedians and singers including Won Bin, Choi Bul-am, Yu Jae-seok, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Hee-sun, Jo Su-mi and Ha Chun-hwa visited the funeral parlor during the two days.
The fashion king was always very close with celebrities, as the main features of his fashion shows were always the top actors, actresses or sports stars of the moment. He had even established the Best Star Award in 2004 to award meritorious stars for their contributions to the development of the country’s popular culture and arts.
Foreign ambassadors and their wives and children often modeled for Kim’s shows as well.
“My wife and I were very good friends with Andre, he was very kind when we first arrived to Korea and his friendship with my wife blossomed throughout the years,” said Rafael A. Salazar, envoy from Guatemala. Salazar and his wife had modeled for some of Kim’s shows.
“We appreciate all that Andre did for our relationship with Korea. We will miss him very much. He was a good friend to us,” said Salazar.
“He was well known to the Australian Embassy and we express our deepest regrets. He is a man who contributed greatly to Korea’s cultural and social life over the past several decades,” said an Australian Embassy spokesperson.
The rites of placing Kim’s body in a coffin began at 5 p.m. Friday following the Buddhist tradition. The designer was Buddhist.
The funeral procession will leave the hospital on Sunday at 6 a.m. It will pass by his house, where he lived for more than 30 years, and then his boutique, followed by his new atelier that was built last year. He will be buried at the Cheonan Memorial Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. Kim chose the site when he was alive because it is where his parents were laid to rest.
By Park Min-young (claire@heraldm.com)
The top South Korean designer died at around 7: 25 p.m. on Thursday after being treated for colorectal cancer and pneumonia. He had been fighting cancer for several months and was hospitalized at an intensive care unit last month due to deteriorating health.
The funeral parlor was quiet and solemn even though it overflowed with mourners and reporters.
Staff members of the Andre Kim Atelier, clad in black skirts and white blouses with puffed shoulders and bearing the Andre Kim signature label, were often spotted coming in and out to cater to the visitors.
Culture minister Yu In-chon arrived at the hospital around 11:40 p.m. on Thursday and offered his condolences to Kim’s surviving family members. Kim, who was unmarried, is survived by a son he adopted in 1982 and two grandchildren.
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| Andre Kim is seen in this 1992 photo with Princess Josephine- Charlotte of Luxembourg during his post-fashion show reception. The fashion show was from an invitation by the IOC. (Yonhap News) |
Many actors, actresses, comedians and singers including Won Bin, Choi Bul-am, Yu Jae-seok, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Hee-sun, Jo Su-mi and Ha Chun-hwa visited the funeral parlor during the two days.
The fashion king was always very close with celebrities, as the main features of his fashion shows were always the top actors, actresses or sports stars of the moment. He had even established the Best Star Award in 2004 to award meritorious stars for their contributions to the development of the country’s popular culture and arts.
Foreign ambassadors and their wives and children often modeled for Kim’s shows as well.
“My wife and I were very good friends with Andre, he was very kind when we first arrived to Korea and his friendship with my wife blossomed throughout the years,” said Rafael A. Salazar, envoy from Guatemala. Salazar and his wife had modeled for some of Kim’s shows.
“We appreciate all that Andre did for our relationship with Korea. We will miss him very much. He was a good friend to us,” said Salazar.
“He was well known to the Australian Embassy and we express our deepest regrets. He is a man who contributed greatly to Korea’s cultural and social life over the past several decades,” said an Australian Embassy spokesperson.
The rites of placing Kim’s body in a coffin began at 5 p.m. Friday following the Buddhist tradition. The designer was Buddhist.
The funeral procession will leave the hospital on Sunday at 6 a.m. It will pass by his house, where he lived for more than 30 years, and then his boutique, followed by his new atelier that was built last year. He will be buried at the Cheonan Memorial Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. Kim chose the site when he was alive because it is where his parents were laid to rest.
By Park Min-young (claire@heraldm.com)
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