On the afternoon of February 2nd, exactly one year after Taiwanese actress (China) Tu Hy Vien passed away, her husband, DJ Koo (Koo Jun Yeop), held the inauguration ceremony of the prayer angel statue carved in the face of his deceased wife, designed by his own hands.
On the anniversary, DJ Koo appeared in dark-toned clothes and what attracted the most attention was the slightly old brown jacket he was wearing.
According to media reports, this is not an ordinary old item, but a gift that Barbie Hsu gave to DJ Koo in 1999, when their relationship had just blossomed - a keepsake he has kept for 27 years.
When speaking at the ceremony, his voice choked up, admitting that "the warmth of the shirt is like Hy Vien has never left". In the rain and wind, DJ Koo also continuously covered his shoulders to prevent the precious shirt from getting wet, every small detail exudes respect.
The story about this jacket is not the first time it has been mentioned. Previously, DJ Koo shared in an entertainment program that he still always keeps the item Xu Xiyuan gave him from his first love.
At the scene of the ceremony, the emotional resonance did not stop there. Barbie Hsu's mother - Ms. Hoang Xuan Mai - also wore the shoes that her daughter gave her when she was alive. She and Barbie Hsu's younger sister could not hide their pain, continuously shed tears. DJ Koo quietly stood beside her to shield from the rain, patting her shoulder to comfort her.
DJ Koo's action of "wearing old clothes again" has created strong sympathy on social networks. Some people emotionally said: "Keeping it for 27 years, it itself is already a love story". Others feel the sadness of having lost one person: "The shirt is still there, but in the rain and wind, only one person remains to preserve it".
Chinese media believes that in this public memorial ceremony, DJ Koo did not need much to say, just with a shirt preserved intact for 27 years, he spoke the most profound thing - that is the unforgettable loyalty of the beginning and also the way people borrow the warmth of the past to fight against the storms of the present.
DJ Koo also posted a handwritten letter to Barbie Hsu on his personal account: "I still can't tell if this is reality or a dream. Missing you makes my tears flow non-stop. The next time we meet, we will be together forever. I miss you so much, really miss you, to the point of feeling like I'm about to die.
Not only is a memorial statue erected, the 9 white steps leading up to the statue are also designed by DJ Koo to be curved into the shape of the letter S - according to Barbie Hsu's nickname "Great S". In Korean, the number "9" is homophone to "Koo". He said that is how he carves his last name into the road leading to where she rests.
On the pedestal, 99 pearls were attached to the hem of the dress, including the remaining pearl from Barbie Hsu's wedding veil in 2001 and the earrings she wore at the celebration party for the movie "Boys Over Flowers".
DJ Koo looks noticeably thinner. From a man over 70kg in the past, now he is only about 60kg, with tanned skin. For the past year, he has temporarily stopped all work, every morning bringing white roses to Kim Bao Son cemetery (Taiwan, China), and in the afternoon sitting in front of the grave for a long time, as if having dinner with her.
He drew 250 portraits of Tu Hy Vien - from Sam Thai in her youth to her smile after marriage - and refused invitations to buy 3 million Taiwan dollars from art collectors. He said: "This is not a commodity, but the path that connects me with her".
