[Sportschosun reporter Jo Min-jeong] Director Ahn Pan-seok's final journey was marked by the hamburger he loved in life, while The Beatles' songs played in the background. At the funeral hall, filled not with elaborate decorations but with the late director's everyday tastes and memories, actress Jung Ryeo-won reportedly broke down in tears she had been holding back.
On the 14th, colleagues continued to visit the funeral hall for Ahn Pan-seok, set up at the funeral home of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to pay their final respects.
What drew attention in the funeral hall images released through the photo press pool was the hamburger placed in front of his portrait. Beneath the smiling portrait of the late director, a hamburger was set alongside the usual memorial offerings, drawing notice. The hamburger was known to be one of Ahn's favorite foods in life. Unlike the label of a "master of drama," the scene suggested his modest and down-to-earth nature. Even on his final journey, the hamburger he loved was placed before his portrait, deepening the sorrow for those who remembered him as he was in life.
It was not only the food he loved in life that filled the funeral hall. Actress Jung Ryeo-won, who worked with Ahn on tvN's 2024 drama "The Midnight Romance in Hagwon," said she eventually burst into tears when she heard The Beatles' songs playing there.
On the 14th, Jung Ryeo-won recalled the moment she said goodbye to the late director in a post on her social media, writing, "I was really holding it together, but I ended up crying a lot when I heard The Beatles song at the funeral hall." She then offered her final farewell with a brief message: "Director, rest in peace."
The portrait in front of which the hamburger he enjoyed in life was placed, and the Beatles music playing in that space, left a deeper sense of sorrow for those who remember Ahn. Rather than grand labels, the small scenes that recalled his life left a lasting impression.
Ahn Pan-seok died on the 12th. He had recently been hospitalized after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage, and it was also reported that he had been undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with lung cancer last year.
Ahn joined the MBC Drama Division as a producer in 1987 and went on to establish himself as one of Korea's leading directors, helming works such as "Behind the White Tower," "How Long I've Kissed," "Secret Love Affair," "Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Something in the Rain," "One Spring Night," "The Midnight Romance in Hagwon," and "The Art of Negotiation." In particular, he won the directing award in the TV category at the 43rd Baeksang Arts Awards for "Behind the White Tower," and later received his second Baeksang directing award for "Secret Love Affair."
His final work is ENA's "Love Doctor," scheduled to air in October. Filming and editing have already been completed.
Ahn Pan-seok's funeral procession will be held at 9:30 a.m. on the 15th. His burial site will be the Seoul Seunghwa Center.
Jo Min-jeong, mj.cho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
