'The Nation’s Father' Choi Bool-am Dies, Bringing More Than 60 Years of Acting to a Close

[Financial News] Actor Choi Bool-am (born Choi Yeong-han), who was known as “the nation’s father” and had long been one of the leading figures in Korean broadcasting, died on the 29th. He was 87.

The late actor spent many years with viewers as Captain Park Young-han in the drama “Chief Detective” and Mr. Kim in “Country Diaries,” among other roles.
According to the broadcasting industry on the 30th, he died at around 10 p.m. on the 29th, the previous day, after receiving inpatient treatment at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul.
Choi Bool-am established himself as one of Korea’s leading television actors through Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) dramas “Chief Detective” and “Country Diaries.” The humanity and role as a family patriarch he brought to both works earned him the nickname “the nation’s father.”
In “Chief Detective,” which aired for 18 years, from 1971 to 1989, he played Captain Park Young-han, a man with a strong sense of justice. The drama was long beloved as one of Korea’s defining works in the investigative-drama genre.
Another of his signature works was MBC’s “Country Diaries,” Korea’s longest-running drama. Appearing as Mr. Kim of Yangchon-ri for 22 years, from 1980 to 2002, he portrayed a family patriarch who led his household. He also gained popularity as Captain Park in MBC’s “You and I,” which aired from 1997 to 1998.
He was also familiar to audiences for his down-to-earth manner and distinctive laugh. His habit of throwing his head back and laughing heartily with a “Paha~” became one of Choi Bool-am’s signature traits, and he was remembered as an approachable actor by viewers across generations.
Choi Bool-am was born in 1939 in Jemulpo-gu, Incheon (then Dong-gu). His family register lists his birth year as 1940. He graduated from Seoul Jungang High School, Seorabeol College of Arts, and Hanyang University’s Department of Theater and Film, and began his acting career on stage in 1959.
He initially aspired to be a director, but turned to acting after appearing in the play “Hamlet” with the theater troupe Experimental Theater Company. He joined the National Theater Company of Korea in 1965 and, in 1967, was selected as a sixth-cohort special recruit for Seoul Central Broadcasting Station (now KBS), expanding his work to television.
Early in his television career, he played the elderly Kim Jong-seo in the drama “Suyang Daegun.” Although he was in his 20s at the time, he took on a character far older than himself.
Alongside his acting, he made regular television appearances as a host of current affairs and educational and cultural programs.
From 1999 to 2008, he hosted KBS’s “Good Country Campaign Headquarters.” In 2011, he began hosting KBS 1TV’s “Korean Cuisine and Dining,” leading the program for 14 years through last year. He traveled across the country, sharing stories about local food and the people who make it.
However, after undergoing surgery for a herniated disc in March 2025, he had difficulty moving around. As a result, he stepped down from “Korean Cuisine and Dining,” which he had hosted for many years. He had since been undergoing rehabilitation, but his health was reportedly deteriorating rapidly.
In May this year, MBC aired a two-part documentary, “Paha, This Is Choi Bool-am,” looking back on his more than 60-year acting career.
Choi Bool-am was reportedly expected to appear when the documentary was being made, but he did not take part in the broadcast. He reportedly did not appear because his family wanted him to focus on rehabilitation.
Choi Bool-am’s acting career began with the 1959 stage production of “Hamlet” and went on to encompass countless works, including “Chief Detective,” “Country Diaries,” and “You and I.” Moving between dramas and educational and cultural programs, the late actor was beloved for many years as one of the leading figures in Korean broadcasting.


[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter