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SEOUL — The Korean theater community wept as it bid farewell to Yun Seok-hwa, the towering figure often hailed as the "Empress of Theater," who passed away on December 19, 2025, after a long battle with brain cancer. She was 69.

On the morning of December 21, a funeral procession was held at the Yonsei University Severance Hospital, attended by family and approximately 70 close colleagues. The atmosphere was heavy with grief but also deep respect for a woman who lived a "flame-like life," according to Park Sang-won, chairman of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture.

Following the funeral, a traditional street ritual known as Noje took place at 10 a.m. in front of the Hanye Theater in Daehangno, the symbolic heart of Korean performing arts. The location was deeply significant; it was formerly the Jungmiso Theater, which Yun herself established in 2002 to foster the arts.

Over 100 prominent figures from the arts world gathered for the ceremony, including legendary actresses Park Jeong-ja and Son Sook, and former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon. During the ritual, junior actors including Choi Jung-won and Park Gun-hyung sang "In the Flower Garden" (Kkotbat-eseo), a favorite song of the deceased, leaving the crowd in tears.

Yun Seok-hwa debuted in 1975 with the play A Taste of Honey and went on to define an era of Korean theater. She gained nationwide acclaim for her performances in Agnes of God, Hamlet, and Letter to My Daughter. Beyond acting, she was a visionary producer and served as the chairperson of the Korea Theater People’s Welfare Foundation from 2017 to 2020.

Her dedication to the stage remained unshaken even after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2022. Opting for quality of life over aggressive treatments at times, she remained a symbol of artistic integrity until her final moments.

In recognition of her monumental contributions to the development of the nation’s performing arts, the South Korean government is currently proceeding with the posthumous conferment of an Order of Cultural Merit. As the procession moved toward the crematorium, the Daehangno district—the place she called home for 50 years—stood silent, honoring the final exit of its brightest star.

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