Eom Young-soo, former president of the Broadcasting Comedians Association, could not hide his sorrow over the passing of his close senior, Lee Sang-yong.
On the 9th, Eom Young-soo said in a phone interview with Maeil Business Star Today, "I suddenly heard the news of Teacher Lee Sang-yong's passing," and added, "I am utterly shocked."
Lee Sang-yong collapsed suddenly while returning from a nearby hospital after feeling symptoms of a cough and cold in the morning and was urgently transported to Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, but ultimately passed away at the age of 81.
Eom Young-soo mentioned, "Teacher Lee Sang-yong had difficulty with his legs due to diabetes. He had been struggling to move for the past 5-6 years," and added, "I had to support him when I took him to various places recently." He expressed his regret, saying, "Even when he was in pain, he would downplay it. He would tell us, 'I just hurt my leg a bit. I'll recover soon.' Others probably didn't even know he was unwell."
He continued, "I had to support him when I took him to various places recently. Even at the end of last year, when we were having a meal near his home, he struggled to go up and down a single step. His health was deteriorating day by day, and there was nothing we could do. I was always worried about what would happen if something went wrong."
Lee Sang-yong was also the successor to the late Song Hae, who passed away in 2022, on KBS1's "National Singing Contest." Eom Young-soo remarked, "He was a great MC on his own, and when he was on stage, he could make people of all ages laugh. Teacher Song Hae always said, 'You are my successor.' Despite his talent, there weren't many opportunities for him to host programs. He was someone from whom younger generations could learn a lot..."
Finally, Eom Young-soo said, "It's rare to find someone who can make people laugh like that. He only had trouble with his legs, but his speech and humor were still intact. He could do push-ups for a long time, and his health was really good. He once gave hope to children as the symbol of health, Popeye, which is unfortunate. A great talent has left us. I will visit the funeral soon," expressing his deep sorrow.
Lee Sang-yong, originally from Seocheon, Chungcheongnam-do, debuted as a co-MC on MBC's "Cheerful Cheongbaekjeon" in 1973 and hosted KBS's "Let's Sing Together" for nine years starting in 1975, gaining great love as "Popeye." He was especially loved by the entire nation while hosting MBC's "Stage of Friendship," which aired from 1989 to 1997.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
