"The Eternal Father of the Nation"... A wave of tributes for the late Choi Bool-am

Died on the 29th at the age of 87Yoo-mi Jung&Kyu-ri Kim → KBS&MBC join in mourningAs the beloved actor Choi Bool-am has passed away, a wave of mourning is continuing in the entertainment industry. The photo shows him speaking at the "Seoul City Ambassador Appreciation Plaque Award and Appointment Ceremony" in 2023. /THE FACT DB[THE FACT|Reporter Choi Soo-bin] The entertainment industry is saddened by the news of the passing of the beloved actor Choi Bool-am.Actress Yoo-mi Jung posted a black and white photo of Choi Bool-am on her social media on the 30th, saying, "I will cherish and follow your warmth forever. We pray with one heart for you to rest more comfortably there."Actress Kyu-ri Kim also expressed her gratitude and respect for the deceased. She said, "Although I have never met you in person, I grew up enjoying your many works. Thank you so much as a viewer," and bid farewell, saying, "Teacher, please rest in peace now. I sincerely wish you rest in peace."Actor Jung-soo Han also expressed his sadness at the news of the passing. He said, "I was planning to visit today, which is Joo-hyuk's death anniversary, but I heard the news of Mr. Choi Bool-am's passing," and expressed his condolences, saying, "Rest in peace."Actress So-jin So recalled her connection with the deceased, with whom she worked together in the 2012 JTBC drama "Happy Ending." She posted a photo of chrysanthemums on her social media and reminisced about the deceased, writing, "My grandfather, Mr. Choi Bool-am, who treated me like a granddaughter with such affection during the drama 'Happy Ending,' rest in peace in heaven."Broadcaster Sun-young Ahn recalled childhood memories. She expressed her sorrow, saying, "As someone from the generation that waited for the day to watch 'Chief Inspector' while sitting on the yard bench with all our relatives, cutting and eating watermelon, it is sad that such a great star of Korea has passed away."Broadcasting stations also honored the deceased. KBS stated on its official website, "We will forever remember the eternal 'Father of Koreans' who embraced the era with a humble smile, a warm elder by our side," and added, "We wish eternal rest for the beloved actor Choi Bool-am."MBC also left a message of mourning on its official website, saying, "We mourn the passing of actor Choi Bool-am and will remember the acting of the deceased, who was the father of the nation."KBS (above) and MBC mourned the passing of Choi Bool-am on their official websites. /Official Website CaptureChoi Bool-am passed away around 10 p.m. on the 29th at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, while receiving inpatient treatment. He was 87 years old.Choi Bool-am, who debuted in the 1959 play 'Hamlet,' earned the nickname 'Eternal Chief Inspector' for his role as Chief Inspector Park Young-han, who combined a sense of justice and humanity, in the MBC drama 'Chief Inspector.' He then established himself as the 'Father of Koreans' by playing Chairman Kim of Yangchon Village in 'Country Diaries,' which aired for 22 years from 1980 to 2002.He also appeared in various other works such as 'The Era of Heroes' and 'Gourmet,' continuing his acting career. Since 2011, he has hosted the KBS1 cultural program 'The Korean Table,' sharing stories of food from across the country and the people behind it.However, he stepped down from 'The Korean Table' after undergoing surgery for a herniated disc in March last year, which led to mobility issues. He had been focusing on rehabilitation treatment, but his health reportedly deteriorated.The late Choi Bool-am's wake will be held at the Asan Medical Center Funeral Hall in Seoul. The funeral will be conducted as a Green Umbrella Children's Foundation funeral. Choi Bool-am first connected with Green Umbrella in 1981 through an adoption episode in 'Country Diaries' and has since been actively involved in social contributions for children and adolescents.subin7134@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]