17 years since 'Scent of Love': Remembering the late actor Jang Jin-young

Seventeen years have passed since the death of actor Jang Jin-young. She was widowed just three days after registering her marriage to Kim Young-gyun, and her father, the late Jang Gil-nam, chairman of the Gyeam Scholarship Foundation, devoted himself to honoring her memory before passing away two years ago.

Jang was born in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province in 1972. After winning the Miss Korea South Chungcheong Province title in 1993, she made her acting debut in 1997 in the drama series "My Angel Within." She was known for her sophisticated, captivating looks and vibrant screen presence.

She went on to appear in the drama series "Three Men, Three Women," "Be Good-Hearted" and "Soonpoong Obstetrics and Gynecology," as well as the films "Ghost in Love," "Siren" and "The Foul King."

In 2001, she won the Blue Dragon Film Awards best actress prize for the film "Goosebumps," and swept the best actress awards at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain and the Fantasporto International Film Festival in Portugal.

Particularly memorable was her heartbreaking performance opposite Park Hae-il in "Scent of Love," in which she played a terminally ill heroine. The role took on added poignancy when it later emerged that she herself had battled stomach cancer.

Jang won another Blue Dragon Film Awards best actress prize for "Singles" and in 2005 took on her first solo lead role in "Blue Swallow," playing Korea's first female aviator. She also claimed the Grand Bell Awards best actress prize for "Almost Love."

In September 2008, she was diagnosed with stage-four stomach cancer. She died on Sept. 1, 2009, at the age of 37, just one year into her treatment.

Her real-life love story moved fans as deeply as any of her films.

Jang married Kim Young-gyun in July 2009. She completed the official marriage registration on Aug. 29 of that year and died three days later. Kim later published a book in her memory titled "The Last Gift to Her."

In May 2011, a memorial hall dedicated to Jang was established in Imsil-gun, North Jeolla Province, her hometown and the site of her remains.

Her father, the late Jang Gil-nam, chairman of the Gyeam Scholarship Foundation, devoted himself to honoring his daughter's memory after her death.

Carrying on his daughter's commitment to helping students in need — she had donated scholarships to her alma mater — he pooled 1.1 billion won ($801,000) of his own money in March 2010 to establish a scholarship foundation and consistently led efforts to donate scholarships.

Tragically, he died two years ago after tripping and falling on his way back from the Jang Jin-young Memorial Hall, where he had gone to prepare for the 15th anniversary commemoration of her death.