Jeffrey Scott Harrison

Jeffrey Scott Harrison, our son, brother, father, and friend passed away on December 15, 2024 in Seoul, Korea at the age of 55 due to a heart attack. Born in Logan, Utah to Rex and Arlene Harrison, he was an energetic, positive child and young man with boundless energy and an ever-present smile. He was adventurous and fearless which resulted in several trips to the emergency room – a habit that would follow him into later life – but these setbacks never dampened his eagerness to explore and discover. 

Jeff graduated from Mountain Crest High School in 1987 where he was active in choir and theater. After graduating, he accepted an LDS mission call to Pusan, South Korea coinciding with the country’s hosting of the 1988 Olympics. There he witnessed the rapid modernization of the country and fell in love with the land and its people – a love affair that would see him spending nearly the rest of his life there. 

Upon returning from his two-year mission, Jeff graduated from Utah State University with a BA in Philosophy. During his studies, he spent a year in Korea as an exchange student and began dating Yun Sunkyeong whom he would marry in 1993 (they would divorce in 2008). Jeff was then accepted to the University of Utah’s law program where he passed the Utah Bar exam and earned a Juris Doctorate degree in 1996. 

Jeff’s first job as a lawyer would see him return to Korea to work for the Pusan Pacific Law Office – a job he kept for nearly three decades until the end of his life. Jeff excelled in law and became one of Korea’s leading experts in the field of maritime law. Because of his extensive knowledge of the law and absolute mastery of the language, he was often asked to appear on Korean radio and TV programs, and was invited to teach several courses at the Korea National Maritime University. 

Jeff and Sunkyeong welcomed their only child, Connor Junhyeok Harrison, in 2000. Connor was the greatest joy in his life. Their bond grew deeper as Connor matured into a young man and more so later as they were able to spend time together as adults. 

From childhood, Jeff always had an immense talent for storytelling and sharing his expertise in an entertaining, communal way; and the world was fortunate that technology would later give him a global audience for this over the last few years. Jeff ran a successful YouTube channel where he would analyze court cases of the past and present, introduce the intricacies of law on the high seas in “Maritime Mondays”, and give slice-of-life presentations of his experiences in Korea (with his two English bulldogs Ddalgi and Yoda often stealing the show). To the more than 100,000 subscribers of his YouTube channel and tens of thousands of followers on other social media outlets, Jeff fostered a familial sense of togetherness and many people would make his streams a regular part of their weeks. Jeff was immensely grateful to any and all who spent their time with him, and took pride in burning the candle at both ends researching material to deliver the best possible experience for his show. He was truly happy spending time with his friends and supporters both online and during in-person meetings and his community meant the world to him. 

Jeff is survived by his son, Connor; father, Rex; sister, Dawn Cook; brother, Adam; and seven nieces and nephews: Camron, Cody, and Tyler Harrison; and Timothy, Taylor, Kortnie, and Kenzie Cook. He is preceded in death by his mother Arlene and his older brother Timothy. 

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, January 18th at Nelson Funeral Home in Logan. 

Jeff will be deeply missed and forever loved by many all over the world: a true testament to a life well lived. Rest in peace, Jeff. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.