Comedy legend NBC's 5th anniversary of Jani Yoon shining to Korea, still missing name
Mar 08, 2025
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The late Janiyun died at a nursing hospital in Los Angeles on March 8, 2020, at the age of 84. After suffering from cerebral hemorrhage and dementia, his health has deteriorated since 2017, and his ex-wife Julia Lee stayed with him at the last minute.
After graduating from Wesleyan University in the U.S., Jani Yun debuted as a broadcaster in Korea in 1959. Later, he moved to the United States and worked as a stand-up comedian, becoming the first Asian to perform on NBC 'Tonight Show' to draw attention. In 1973, he won the New York Best Celebrity Award for hosting the 「Jani Yoon Special Show」 on NBC, and later became a global comedian representing Korea, working in numerous movies and entertainment programs.
Domestic activities continued. Janiyoon also communicated with Korean fans while hosting KBS2 'Janiyoon Show' for about a year. He also showed outstanding capabilities as a broadcasting host and won the 2009 Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards TV Host Award.
He worked in public office as well as his career as a broadcaster. In 2014, he was appointed as a standing auditor of the Korea Tourism Organization and contributed to the promotion of the Korean tourism industry. However, he stopped his official activities in 2016, just before his term expired, after collapsing due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Afterwards, he moved to the United States and received treatment at a nursing hospital, and many people were saddened by the news of his battle with dementia.
Even after Jani Yoon's death, the memory of his juniors continues to commemorate his achievements.
mj.cho@sportschosun.com
