“Everyone in Korea was happy”... A final farewell to Choi Bool-am

[Financial News] Tributes from the entertainment industry continue to pour in for the late actor Choi Bool-am (real name: Choi Young-han). Popera tenor Lim Hyung-joo, composer Yoon Il-sang, and actor Kim Hyuk, among others, looked back on their ties with him and his performances, offering him a final farewell. Their tributes recalled his affection for younger colleagues and the laughter that comforted the nation.
On the 30th, Lim Hyung-joo wrote on Instagram, “My beloved and respected Uncle Choi Bool-am,” adding, “Tears just keep falling.” He had been close to the late actor’s wife, actor Kim Min-ja, whom he usually called “Aunt.” “I never imagined that our greeting during my hospital visit a few months ago would be a final goodbye,” he lamented.
He thanked the deceased for cherishing his songs and attending his recitals with Kim Min-ja. Recalling how Choi had always encouraged him with kind words, he prayed that he would rest in peace, remembering how he had been a warm father to the nation.
Yoon Il-sang also posted a tribute on social media (SNS) that day, alongside a photo of the deceased. He said that because he had known the actor through his works since childhood, it had felt as though they would be together forever. He recalled in turn the righteous Chief Park from “Chief Detective” and the dependable father from “Country Diaries.”
He paid tribute to Choi, saying, “You were not merely someone who acted in an era; you lived alongside that era and left warmth in all our hearts.” He also said he would long remember Choi’s characteristic hearty laugh, deep, warm voice, and the love for humanity they conveyed.
Although they had never worked together, Kim Hyuk remembered Choi as a senior colleague who would respond with a smile whenever Kim greeted him at the broadcasting station. He expressed his condolences on social media by posting a scene from “Chief Detective.”
He wrote, “Thanks to you, everyone in South Korea was happy in front of their TVs.” He also recalled the late Kim Sang-sun, Nam Seong-hun, and Jo Gyeong-hwan, who appeared alongside Choi in “Chief Detective,” and bid Choi farewell on his final journey.
Yoon Hyun-sook, formerly of the group Jam, also posted a photo of the deceased on social media and expressed her grief through silence and prayer. Broadcaster Jang Sung-kyu also posted a tribute to him.
For many years, Choi Bool-am was a familiar presence to viewers as Chief Park Young-han in “Chief Detective” and Chairman Kim of Yangchon-ri in “Country Diaries.” From 2011 through last year, he hosted KBS1 TV’s “Korean Cuisine and Dining,” sharing food from across the country and the lives of the people behind it.
The deceased passed away on the 29th. The funeral is being held in Room 20 of the funeral hall at Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul. The funeral will be held as a Green Umbrella Children's Foundation funeral, and the funeral procession will depart at 7 a.m. on November 2.
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