Following the passing of Kang Hee-sun, a legendary South Korean voice actor beloved for her iconic role as Bong Mi-sun (the mother in "Crayon Shin-chan"), her son has shared a poignant tribute to his mother.

Ahn Eun-seok, CEO of Born Film and son of the late Kang, took to social media on July 6 to express his gratitude to those who attended the three-day funeral service.

Sharing a photo of his mother’s portrait, Ahn wrote, "I want to sincerely thank the many voice actors, seniors from the Department of Broadcasting and Entertainment at Seoul Institute of the Arts, alumni from Joongkyung High School and Deoksu Elementary School, numerous acquaintances, and fans who came to pay their respects to my mother, a representative voice actor of South Korea who voiced the mother in 'Crayon Shin-chan', the subway announcement voice, and dubbed roles for Sharon Stone and Julia Roberts."

He added, "My mother would have been very happy. Thank you once again from the bottom of my heart," expressing his deep appreciation to those who offered their condolences for "Kang Hee-sun, my mother and the voice of Bong Mi-sun."

The portrait displayed at the funeral featured a ribbon inscribed with "The late Kang Hee-sun Maria" alongside the prayer, "Lord, grant her eternal rest." Bidding a final farewell, her son wrote, "Mom, please rest now without any pain."

Debuting in 1979 as part of the 10th class of the TBC Voice Actor Association, Kang established herself as one of the most prominent voices in the industry. Beyond her role as Bong Mi-sun in "Crayon Shin-chan", she was widely recognized as the voice of the Seoul subway announcements and the Korean dubbing voice for actors Sharon Stone and Julia Roberts.

In 2021, Kang was diagnosed with colon cancer that had metastasized to her liver and was given a terminal prognosis. However, she miraculously overcame the crisis after enduring multiple surgeries and chemotherapy. Even while battling the illness, she continued to record for "Crayon Shin-chan" movies and even recorded subway announcements from her hospital bed, leaving a lasting impression on many with her unwavering professional dedication.

Last year, Kang appeared on tvN's "You Quiz on the Block", where she shared her story of continuing to record out of love for her work despite changes in her voice due to the side effects of chemotherapy, earning the support and admiration of viewers. 

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)