The table is “our life” ... Words Choi Bool-am shared on the road

[Financial News] The late actor Choi Bool-am would talk about food at the table, yet broaden the conversation to people and life. The KBS 1TV special documentary “A Warm-Hearted Elder, Choi Bool-am: You Were the Way,” which aired on the 30th, featured footage of him from the spring two years ago, when he set out to film “Korean Cuisine and Dining.”
When asked what “Korean Cuisine and Dining” meant to him, Choi Bool-am replied, “It’s our life.” He went on to explain that food is connected to life and touches on the primal happiness we find in living. Laughing, he described himself as “a messenger” introducing food. The remark was understood to mean that his role was not merely to present the dishes on the table, but to share the stories of the people behind them.
On the drive after filming, they talked about happiness. When the production team picked “If you feel it, that’s happiness” as a memorable line, Choi Bool-am likened happiness to a state free of discomfort or anxiety. He added, “I can’t be happy on my own. We all have to be happy together.”
The footage also captured a conversation as they looked at the people gathered on Nodeul Island. Of those who had come out to see the flowers, enjoy the fine weather, and watch the sunset, he said, “There were many people who had come out looking for happiness.” He spoke of the wonder nature inspires, saying that the sun rises again even as generations change. Choi Bool-am’s words went beyond describing the scenery and turned to the people looking at it together.
Since 2011, Choi Bool-am had hosted “Korean Cuisine and Dining” for more than 14 years, sharing food from across the country and the lives intertwined with it. The tribute documentary included not only footage from the show’s filming locations, but also scenes of his love of literature and poetry and reflections on his career as an actor. The everyday words of the actor remembered for his familiar roles and resonant voice brought him back to mind.
As filming wrapped up, Choi Bool-am said, “Thank you very much for being with us today. I love you all.” It was not intended as a particular farewell, but the scene showed the spirit that had shaped his time sharing meals and stories with people.
 

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