Director Heo Beom-wook passes away one week before the release of his new work.. Aged 43

*This content was translated by AI.

Director Heo Beom-wook, who directed the feature-length animation "The Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease," has passed away ahead of the film's release.

According to Paek Jae-ho of the Korea Independent Film Association Lee (President), Director Heo Beom-wook died early this morning on the 28th. He was 43 years old.

According to the film industry, Director Heo Beom-wook had been hospitalized in the intensive care unit following a fire incident that occurred last week and passed away early this morning after receiving treatment.

Born in Seoul in 1983, Director Heo Beom-wook studied animation at the Korean Academy of Film Arts and other institutions. The late director gained recognition in 2014 when his first feature-length animation "Pale Faces" won the Grand Prize for Feature Films at the 30th Holland Animation Film Festival.

His second feature-length animation, "The Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease," produced in 2024, was officially invited to the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France and received a Special Mention from the jury at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. At the Seoul Independent Film Festival, it won the Best Feature Animation Award for the first time in the festival's history.

"The Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease" was scheduled to hold a press screening on the 24th ahead of its release on August 5, but the event was cancelled that morning due to Director Heo Beom-wook's health issues.

The wake has been set up at Han River Seongsim Hospital Funeral Hall, Room Special No. 3, and the funeral procession will be held solemnly at 8 a.m. on the 30th. The burial site is Seoul Memorial Park.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.