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Pan Ruo-di's Father's Death Regrets Surface During 'Coffin Experience' in Japan

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Taiwanese celebrities participated in a "coffin experience" in Japan, designed to make them reflect on life and death.
  • The experience prompted TV host Pan Ruo-di to recall regrets about his relationship with his late father, whom he never told he loved.
  • The show's participants also reflected on their own lives and expressed a desire to cherish relationships and express love promptly.

A group of Taiwanese celebrities, led by host Shen Yu-lin, embarked on a journey of self-reflection during a trip to Japan, culminating in a unique "coffin experience." The program, titled "Life Is Infinitely Good Company," aims to help participants confront mortality and re-evaluate their lives.

The experience involved lying inside a coffin in a simulated funeral setting, complete with chanting monks. For TV host Pan Ruo-di, the exercise brought to the surface deep-seated regrets about his relationship with his father. Pan confessed that he rarely expressed his love to his traditional father, and only mustered the courage to say "I love you" when his father was 90 years old. His father's surprised reaction, asking what he was talking about, highlighted the emotional distance between them.

I still have so many things I didn't get to say to him!

— Shen Yu-linThe host reflected on his unexpressed feelings after experiencing the coffin simulation.

Pan was particularly moved by the timing of his father's passing, which coincided with Shen Yu-lin's comeback press conference. He expressed deep regret for not being able to be by his father's side in his final moments, having last visited him a week prior to shave his beard and cut his hair. After the press conference, Pan rushed to his father's memorial, kneeling for hours and tearfully declaring his love and his wish to be his son again in the next life.

I love you. If there's a chance in the next life, I still want to be your son. I will do better.

— Pan Ruo-diPan Ruo-di spoke to his father's memorial tablet, expressing his regrets and love.

Other participants also found the experience profound. Shen Yu-lin realized the importance of expressing love promptly, while Mario, another host, contemplated his family's well-being in his absence. Short Jin, a cheerleader, became emotional, realizing she hadn't had a chance to say goodbye. The experience left them with a renewed appreciation for life and relationships, with Mario humorously concluding that the biggest takeaway was the need to "do more meaningful things, like not filming this show anymore!"

The trip also included a rare sighting of Mount Fuji, which had been obscured by rain for the first two days. The celebrities saw this as a positive omen, attributing the clear view to their collective desire and unity. Shen Yu-lin described seeing the mountain as the best medicine, instantly curing his stress-induced fever.

The biggest realization is to do more meaningful things, like not filming this show anymore!

— MarioMario humorously shared his takeaway from the life-reflection experience.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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