Jeon Young-ja, the wife of the late novelist Lee Oi-soo (1946–2022), passed away on the 7th at the age of 72. She died at her home in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, around 10 a.m. the previous day, according to her family.
Born in Yanggu, Gangwon, Jeon was known for being selected as Miss Gangwon in 1973. It was during this time that she met Lee, who was working as a DJ at a teahouse in Chuncheon. The couple married in November 1976 and shared a life together for many years.
Jeon had a unique perspective on her role as a writer’s wife. She once appeared on EBS TV’sDocu Womanand shared stories about her life with Lee. She mentioned how she used to borrow rice while he worked on his writing. Reflecting on their relationship, she said, “If it was my husband’s destiny to spend his life writing, then perhaps it was also my destiny to live as the wife of writer Lee Oi-soo.”
In April 2019, Jeon announced that she and Lee were separating, but they did not go through a legal divorce. Instead, they chose to enter into what was called a “graduated marriage” (卒婚), which translates to graduating from marriage. At the time, she explained that Lee did not want a divorce, so they decided on this alternative arrangement.
However, in March 2020, Lee suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was hospitalized. During this time, Jeon resumed caring for him after finalizing the graduated marriage. She remained by his side until his death in 2022. Afterward, she lived alone in Chuncheon.
Jeon is survived by her two sons, Lee Han-eol, a writer, and Lee Jin-eol, as well as their daughters-in-law, Seol Eun-young, a winner of the Chosun Ilbo New Spring Literary Contest, and Kim Kyung-mi.
The funeral will take place at Room Special 1, the funeral hall of Hoban Hospital in Chuncheon. The departure is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. on the 10th.