"Relieved to See Him Smile": Minister Choi Hwi-young Visits Choi Bul-am

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young visited actor Choi Bul-am (86), who is currently receiving inpatient treatment, to wish him a speedy recovery.

On his social media account today (June 13), Minister Choi stated, "I visited our 'national father,' Choi Bul-am, to pay my respects."

Choi Bul-am's wife, actress Kim Min-ja, who has been by his side in the hospital, was also present.

Minister Choi said, "Mr. Choi shared many stories with me, ranging from current affairs to art and religion, and offered me warm encouragement," adding, "I felt very relieved to see him greet me with his signature 'Paha' laugh."

The Minister continued, "Mr. Choi suggested that we have a drink together once he is discharged. I told him without hesitation that he should buy me some makgeolli (Korean rice wine)."

He added, "He smiled brightly when I brought up 'Eunseong,' the tavern his mother used to run. 'Eunseong' was known long ago as a hideout for impoverished artists."

Minister Choi also shared that he presented Choi Bul-am with a Blu-ray copy of the film "The Last Witness" (1980).

The film, which starred Choi Bul-am, was originally produced with a runtime of 158 minutes in 1980, but was released in a hastily edited version against the director's wishes after significant portions were cut due to censorship.

The Korean Film Archive later restored the original footage and released a 154-minute version in 2003, which was subsequently released on Blu-ray in 2017.

Minister Choi wrote, "Mr. Choi won the Best Actor award at the 1st Korean Association of Film Critics Awards for this work," and added, "He was very pleased when Kim Mo-eun, Director of the Korean Film Archive, presented him with this Blu-ray as a memento."

After undergoing surgery for a herniated disc last year, Choi Bul-am has experienced mobility issues. Consequently, he stepped down from KBS 1TV's current affairs and culture program "Korean Cuisine," which he had hosted for 14 years, and has been receiving rehabilitation treatment in the hospital.

(Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.