On the 26th, Lee Se-eun shared on her social media, "The wildfire has spread to Andong. That's where my family's ancestral home and my late father's grave are. This morning, I anxiously followed the news about the wildfire in the Gyeongbuk region, feeling uneasy and worried."
Lee Se-eun's parents are originally from Andong. Her late father, Lee Jin-seop, a former journalist, is buried in the family’s ancestral burial ground in the area.
Lee Se-eun expressed her distress, saying, "I was worried sick about my father's grave and wanted to ask the caretaker about the situation, but I couldn't. It's the only grave we have for my father, but after discussing with my family, we realized that the living must come first. Even though my heart was breaking, I couldn't bring myself to ask those dealing with the emergency if my father's grave was okay, as they were already overwhelmed."
She continued, "After hearing that all residents of Andong were ordered to evacuate due to the wildfire, I became even more anxious. Andong is full of historic homes and is practically a cultural heritage site. From the UNESCO-designated Byeongsan Seowon to even the stones on the street, everything is a piece of history. I'm so worried that the ancestral burial ground, the family home, the pavilions, and my father's grave might all be destroyed. I feel helpless and can only cry."
In conclusion, she shared, "My second child hasn't even visited yet. The kids probably won't remember much, but I wish we had visited my father's warm and comforting grave more often. It's heartbreaking that there's nothing I can do. I just hope no one else gets hurt and that the fire is contained soon."
kykang@sbs.co.kr
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)