Heo Beom-wook, the director of the animated film 'The Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease,' has died at the age of 43.
According to the Korean Independent Film Association and the distributor Indie Story, Heo passed away on the morning of July 28 while receiving treatment in the intensive care unit following a fire accident last week.
Born in Seoul in 1983, Heo initially aspired to be a poet and novelist during his teenage years. His interest in animation was sparked by a special screening of short films by the National Film Board of Canada at the Seoul Animation Center. He later studied animation at the Korean Academy of Film Arts and other institutions.
Heo gained recognition in 2014 with his first feature animation, 'Pale Faces,' which won the Grand Prize in the feature category at the 30th Holland Animation Film Festival.
His second feature, 'The Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease,' produced in 2024, was invited to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. The film tells the story of a pig that survives culling and a young man who wishes to become a beast.
'The Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease' has achieved success at various film festivals, including a special mention from the jury at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and the Best Feature Animation Award at the Seoul Independent Film Festival.
The film was set to be released on August 5. A screening scheduled for July 24 was canceled due to Heo's circumstances.
His funeral is being held at the Han River Seongshim Hospital funeral hall, with the burial set for 8 a.m. on July 30 at the Seoul Memorial Park.
According to the Korean Independent Film Association and the distributor Indie Story, Heo passed away on the morning of July 28 while receiving treatment in the intensive care unit following a fire accident last week.
Born in Seoul in 1983, Heo initially aspired to be a poet and novelist during his teenage years. His interest in animation was sparked by a special screening of short films by the National Film Board of Canada at the Seoul Animation Center. He later studied animation at the Korean Academy of Film Arts and other institutions.
Heo gained recognition in 2014 with his first feature animation, 'Pale Faces,' which won the Grand Prize in the feature category at the 30th Holland Animation Film Festival.
His second feature, 'The Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease,' produced in 2024, was invited to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. The film tells the story of a pig that survives culling and a young man who wishes to become a beast.
'The Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease' has achieved success at various film festivals, including a special mention from the jury at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and the Best Feature Animation Award at the Seoul Independent Film Festival.
The film was set to be released on August 5. A screening scheduled for July 24 was canceled due to Heo's circumstances.
His funeral is being held at the Han River Seongshim Hospital funeral hall, with the burial set for 8 a.m. on July 30 at the Seoul Memorial Park.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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