Kim Young-ok faces an empty chair, then the Doosan Bears mound

Actress Kim Young-ok has, for the first time, spoke at length through her personal YouTube channel about her daily life after losing her husband, the late Kim Young-gil, a former KBS announcer. In the video released on June 10, Kim Young-ok's current state was calmly captured through remarks made during a meal, the empty chair in her home, and the tension felt before her ceremonial first pitch for the Doosan Bears.

Rather than decorating the emotions of bereavement with grand words, this video conveyed them through concrete scenes, such as the dining table, the chair, and her expression before stepping onto the mound. It also revealed how an actress who has stood before the public for a long time speaks about private loss on a public channel.

"I hate even eating two meals" during mealtime

Before a meal with the production team, Kim Young-ok said, "Since I am staying at home, I even hate eating two meals." She explained that while her husband was alive, she would try to eat at least a little bit together to look after their meals, but now, everything has changed, starting from the act of eating alone in the house. To concerns about her weight, she replied, "It's because I can't eat," and she did not attempt to exaggerate her sadness.

The scene that lingered the longest was the chair. Kim Young-ok confessed, "Sometimes, it feels like I see a vision out of my own greed," noting that the image of her husband sitting in the chair and looking outside remains etched in her mind. Rather than pushing the emotions of bereavement with dramatic words, this was a moment where she spoke about how a single object in the house she sees every day can hold such vast memories.

66 Years of Kim Young-ok and Kim Young-gil, Married in 1960

Kim Young-ok and Kim Young-gil were married in 1960 and spent 66 years together. Kim Young-gil began his broadcasting career as an announcer at the KBS Chuncheon Broadcasting Station and spent a long time in the broadcasting field, passing through CBS and KBS. The two formed a connection at Chung-Ang University and also worked together at the KBS Chuncheon Broadcasting Station.

Therefore, this video does not merely stay within the realm of family history. It can also be seen as a scene where the time shared by two people who passed through the early days of Korean broadcasting is called out again within the daily life of an elderly actress.

Kim Young-ok became an actress after serving as an announcer and voice actress, working across dramas, movies, plays, and variety shows. Earlier this year, she also appeared on the stage of the play 'Old Man's Dream.' In the released video, Kim Young-ok does not only speak of a sense of loss. She eats, smiles at a gift given by the production team, and feels nervous while learning how to throw a ball ahead of her ceremonial pitch for the Doosan Bears.

"I'm scared" ahead of the Doosan Bears ceremonial pitch

The ceremonial pitch scene in the latter half of the video does not appear to be a device to forcibly change the atmosphere to something bright. Kim Young-ok said, "I'm scared," before stepping onto the mound, yet she repeatedly practiced her pitching, and at the stadium, she brought up the memory of being a Doosan fan. As the first part of the video, where she spoke of her husband's empty space at home, connected to the latter part, where she faced the crowd at the baseball field, it conveyed that sadness and laughter can coexist within a single day.

Kim Young-ok's method of disclosure differs from the vlogs of celebrities these days. While the daily life content of young stars is accustomed to showing trivial tastes and consumption, this video is closer to an older actress standing before the camera while maintaining her own pace. The conversation with the production team was light, but the weight of her words was not.

The scene where she greets subscribers by saying, "Thank you to everyone," was not just a simple greeting. It sounded like a cautious explanation for why she had taken a break from her public channel and was reopening it.

There is a line that must be carefully observed when dealing with the bereavement of a famous person. There is no need to add unverified health conditions or causes of emotion. The words directly disclosed by Kim Young-ok and the scenes in the video are sufficient. The words that she cannot eat well, the confession of remembering the empty chair, and the fact that she still prepared for a ceremonial pitch and stood before people tell the story of her present.

In the June 10 video, Kim Young-ok did not hide her sadness, nor did she explain herself through sadness alone. It remains to be seen at what pace her personal YouTube will continue, but this video remains as the first scene where Kim Young-ok stands before the camera again.