‘My Love, Don’t Cross That River’ Grandmother Kang Gye-yeol expresses her thanks to the audience. Kyunghyang Shinmun file photo

Grandmother Kang Gye-yeol, the protagonist of the film ‘My Love, Don’t Cross That River’, passed away on the afternoon of the 10th.

Director Jin Mo-young, who directed the film, announced on his social networking service (SNS) that “Grandmother Kang Gye-yeol passed away this afternoon.”

Jin said, “Even on the day we first met, September 9, 2012, she was like a young girl, and that girl, at 100, crossed the river,” and he paid tribute: “To the side of Grandfather Jo Byeong-man, whom she lovedGrandmother, go in peace.”

Jin last visited her on the 31st of last month. He said, “Even while fading in and out, she remembered us clearly and offered a blessing: ‘Live well and take good care of each other.’”

The documentary ‘My Love, Don’t Cross That River’, which captured the 76-year love of Grandmother Kang Gye-yeol and the late Grandfather Jo Byeong-man, opened in November 2014 and drew a total of more than 4.8 million viewers, and it still holds the all-time box-office record for Korean independent films.

Grandfather Jo Byeong-man, who passed away earlier in December 2013 before the film’s release, and Grandmother Kang Gye-yeol have been reunited after 13 years.

The mourning hall has been set up at the Wonju Medical Center funeral home. The funeral will be at 7:45 a.m. on the 12th, and the burial site is the family burial ground in Cheongil-myeon, Hoengseong County, Gangwon Province.