Kang Gye-yeol, the beloved grandmother who touched millions through the acclaimed documentary film My Love, Don’t Cross That River, has passed away at the age of 102.

The heartbreaking news was confirmed on April 10 by director Jin Mo-young, who helmed the 2014 documentary that captured the lifelong love story between Kang Gye-yeol and her late husband, Jo Byeong-man.

In a heartfelt social media message, director Jin Mo-young wrote: “Grandmother Kang Gye-yeol, the protagonist of our film, passed away this afternoon.”

He revealed that he and his team visited her on March 31 to say their final farewells. “Even though her memory was fading, she clearly recognized us and gave us greetings and warm blessings, saying, ‘Live well with one another.’”

Recalling their first meeting in 2012, the director added: “She was like a young girl when I first met her on September 9, 2012. That girl crossed the river at 100 years old, to be beside the grandfather she loved so much. Goodbye, grandmother.”

Released in 2014, My Love, Don’t Cross That River became one of South Korea’s most beloved documentaries, telling the tender real-life love story of Kang Gye-yeol and Jo Byeong-man.

The film followed the couple’s everyday life as they shared nearly eight decades of marriage, portraying a rare and deeply moving portrait of enduring love, aging, and farewell.

The documentary became a cultural phenomenon, attracting 4.8 million moviegoers an extraordinary achievement for an independent documentary film in Korea.

During filming in 2013, Jo Byeong-man passed away, making the documentary’s emotional ending even more poignant for audiences.

According to reports, Kang Gye-yeol’s funeral altar has been set up at Wonju Medical Center Funeral Hall. Her funeral procession will take place on April 12, and she will be laid to rest at her family burial site in Cheongil-myeon, Hoengseong County.

Though Kang Gye-yeol has now departed this world, her love story remains immortalized through cinema. For countless viewers, she was more than a documentary subject she became a symbol of pure devotion, enduring companionship, and timeless romance.

Her passing marks the end of a remarkable life, but her reunion with her beloved husband is the bittersweet ending many who loved her story will hold close to their hearts.

Sources: 네이트 뉴스