'National Father' Actor Choi Bul-am Passes Away... Awarded Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit

[Anchor]

Actor Choi Bul-am, who received nationwide love throughout an acting career spanning over 60 years, passed away last night (October 29) at the age of 87. Tributes from all walks of life are pouring in following the passing of Choi, widely known as a national actor and the "national father."

Reporter Jung Kyung-yoon has the details.

[Reporter]

Actor Choi Bul-am, who represented the image of the father figure of our times, passed away last night at the age of 87.

It was reported that his health deteriorated rapidly recently after undergoing surgery for a herniated lumbar disc in March of last year.

Having entered the path of acting by stepping onto the theater stage in the play "Hamlet" in 1959, the late actor expanded into TV dramas in 1967 and appeared in numerous productions, literally becoming the history of South Korean television dramas.

He left a deep impression on viewers for a long time as Chief Inspector Park in the drama "Chief Inspector" and as Chairman Kim of Yangchon-ri in "Country Diaries," and hosted "Korean Cuisine" for 14 years starting in 2011, conveying the lives and sorrows of ordinary people.

[The late Choi Bul-am / Actor (in 2018): Television actors are all entertainers. There, we show the path the public should take, or rather than teaching, we reach a consensus and present meaning.]

A wave of condolences followed the news of the eternal national father's peaceful rest.

At the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in Seoul, where the mortuary was set up, condolences continued from fellow actors and figures from all walks of life.

[Yoo In-chon / Former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism: Since he acted as a father for 22 years in the drama "Country Diaries," the entire "Country Diaries" family lived thinking with that kind of familial heart...]

President Lee Jae-myung posted on social media, expressing his condolences by saying he will remember the teacher who stayed by the public's side for a long time as the father of our era.

To honor the late actor's achievements, the government decided to posthumously award him the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest honor in the field of culture and arts.

The funeral will be held as a ChildFund Korea-led funeral, honoring his dedication to children and teenagers.

The funeral procession and departure will take place on November 2, followed by a funeral mass.

(Video Editing: Chang Hyun-ki, Screen Source: MBC "Country Diaries")
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.