Actor Choi Bul-am, widely revered as South Korea's "Nation's Father," has been laid to rest at the age of 87.

The funeral send-off ceremony for Choi was held at 7:40 a.m. on November 2 at the Asan Medical Center Funeral Hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul. In accordance with the wishes of the bereaved family, the service was conducted privately.

The late actor's wife, actor Kim Min-ja, along with their children and grandchildren, attended alongside senior and junior colleagues including Kim Hye-soo, Shin Hyun-joon, Jung Joon-ho, and Song Il-kook. Many in attendance were moved to tears as the casket was borne following the late actor's portrait.

The funeral cortege proceeded to Yeouido Catholic Church in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, where a funeral Mass was celebrated. Presided over by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung at 9:00 a.m., the Mass featured a memorial rendition of "Ave Maria" sung by popera tenor Lim Hyung-joo, who had shared a close bond with Choi and affectionately called him "uncle."

Starting at 10:40 a.m., a farewell ceremony was held at the ChildFund Korea headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, an organization Choi had supported for 45 years. During his lifetime, Choi had reportedly expressed a wish to visit the foundation following his passing, appearing to want to bid a final goodbye to the children he had long supported. Executives and staff lined up to receive his portrait, and an employee representative read a memorial tribute to honor his dedication. Funeral committee members then offered flowers at a memorial space arranged on the first floor of the building. After the portrait toured the foundation grounds, the procession was scheduled to head to Choi's final resting place at Donghwa Gyeongmo Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.


Choi passed away around 10:00 p.m. on October 29 while receiving inpatient care at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Following spinal disc surgery last year, he had been focusing on rehabilitation, but his health was reported to have rapidly deteriorated recently.

Born in 1939, Choi made his acting debut in 1959 in the stage play "Hamlet." He entered the television industry in 1967 after being recruited as an actor by KBS. He went on to portray Chief Inspector Park Young-han in MBC's "Chief Inspector," the pioneer of Korean-style investigative dramas, and Chairman Kim of Yangchon-ri in "Country Diaries," South Korea's longest-running television drama that aired for 22 years, earning him the beloved titles of "Nation's Actor" and "Nation's Father." Starting in 2011, he hosted KBS's "Korean Cuisine and Dining," gaining widespread public affection by introducing the lives of ordinary citizens and traditional Korean dishes with his sincere words and warm smile.

Beginning October 30, the day after his death, an outpouring of mourners from the cultural realm as well as the political and business sectors visited the memorial altar set up at the funeral hall. His castmates from his signature work "Country Diaries"—including Kim Hye-ja, former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon, Ko Doo-shim, Lim Ho, couple Kim Ji-young and Nam Sung-jin, and Lee Kye-in—kept vigil at the altar. Fellow actors from "You and I," including Na Moon-hee, Park Geun-hyung, Oh Ji-myung, Kang Boo-ja, and Lee Deok-hwa, also paid their respects, alongside Lee Je-hoon of "Chief Detective 1958," who arrived to honor the late actor.

Kim Hye-soo visited the funeral hall throughout all three days, comforting the family and receiving mourners alongside them. Having worked together as mother and daughter with Choi's wife Kim Min-ja in the 1987 drama "Samogok," Kim Hye-soo reportedly called Choi "father" and maintained a family-like relationship with them. During the send-off ceremony, she supported the weeping Kim Min-ja, offering comfort through the pain and sorrow of losing her spouse.

A procession of political figures who crossed paths with Choi during his tenure as a National Assembly member also paid their respects. Among those visiting the funeral hall to mourn his passing were Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok, former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil, former Prime Ministers Kim Boo-kyum and Lee Nak-yon, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, People Power Party lawmakers Kwon Young-se and Na Kyung-won, Rebuilding Korea Party leader Shin Jang-sik, Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency Kim Jong-chul, and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young, who presented the Gold Crown Order of Cultural Merit. 

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)