Tributes pour in on the second day of the late Choi Bool-am’s wake... 60-year friend Oh Ji-myeong: “I’m sorry—I should have gone first”

[Financial News] For the second day, a stream of mourners from all walks of life continued to visit the wake of the late Choi Bool-am (born Choi Yeong-han, aged 87), known as “the nation’s father.” From his close friend of 60 years to younger actors who had worked with him and figures from politics and business, visitors shared in the sorrow of saying goodbye to a towering figure in Korean broadcasting.


On the 31st, actor Oh Ji-myeong visited the wake of the deceased at the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in Seoul’s Songpa District. Born in 1939, the same year as Choi, and his close friend of 60 years, Oh bowed before his longtime friend’s portrait.
After paying his respects, Oh Ji-myeong said, “He had been my closest friend since we attended Chungang High School.” He continued, “We were always saying, ‘Which of us will die first?’ I thought I’d go first, but he went ahead of me, and I feel bad about it. I’m sorry I lived a little longer,” he said, voicing his deep sadness.
The two first met on the theater stage, and their connection continued for 60 years through television and film. After appearing together in the plays ‘Daffodil’ in 1965 and ‘Yi Sun-sin’ in 1966, they caught the eye of producer Im Hak-song and entered the television industry together as specially recruited actors in KBS’s seventh intake. In 2004, they also appeared together in ‘Don’t Mess Around,’ a comedy film directed by Oh, showing they were still going strong.
Tributes from veteran artists continued as well. Actor Lee Jeong-seop, who had watched the deceased perform since his first year of high school, wept as he said, “He was the very embodiment and symbol of an actor, and I thought he would get back on his feet.” Singer Kim Heung-guk lamented, “When the great stars of the entertainment world leave us one by one, I don’t know who will protect broadcasting.” Director Lee Jang-ho, who worked with him on films including A Fine, Windy Day, also recalled ‘Eunsung,’ the tavern the deceased’s mother ran in Myeongdong, and paid tribute, saying, “He will remain in the hearts of the people as an unforgettable actor.”

Following Kim Hye-ja, Yoo In-chon and Ko Du-shim the previous day, younger actors who had worked with the deceased continued to visit the wake.
Actors Kim Ji-yeong and Nam Sung-jin, a married couple in real life who played Bok-gil and Yeong-nam in MBC’s long-running drama Country Diaries, visited the wake together, their eyes welling with tears. Kim Ji-yeong paid tribute, saying, “It’s heartbreaking that we can’t see again such a precious person who was both a father and a teacher to us.” Nam Sung-jin said, “He was such a towering figure. I hope people will remember him as a great elder who set an example for everyone and warmly looked after those around him.”
Song Il-guk, an ambassador for the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation, for which the deceased had served as national head of its supporters’ association for more than 40 years, also joined the line of mourners. “He showed through his actions that an actor’s dignity is fulfilled through the way one lives,” Song said, pledging to carry on his spirit of sharing.
Actors who had played father and son with him onscreen also recalled their memories. Song Seung-heon, who played his son in the drama You and I, paid tribute, calling him “a warm person, like the sky, to me when I was inexperienced in my first serious drama.” Jeong Han-yong, who played his son in A Man with His Head Bowed and Age of Heroes, also mourned him, saying, “His image from when he was alive is still so vivid, and I can’t believe he’s gone.” Jung Joon-ho, Kim Mi-sook, Kim Chang-sook, Jeong Young-sook, Kim Dong Hyun and Lee Dong-jun also visited the wake.

Figures from politics, business and sports also paid tribute to the deceased’s unassuming nature. Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, who served on the funeral committee, remembered him as “a generous, warm-hearted man who savored soju more than anyone.” Referring to the unshaven, unassuming portrait, Lee said, “When he was alive, he deliberately wore shabby clothes, saying, ‘I must not make the public feel out of place or shine too brightly.’ Even after his passing, I thought, ‘Choi Bool-am is Choi Bool-am.’”
Kim Chong-in, former interim leader of the People Power Party, who had been the deceased’s classmate at Chungang Middle School, recalled him as “a friend with a gentle, caring nature who achieved great success in his field.” People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Young-se remembered seeking the deceased’s advice when he entered politics, while People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won recalled their connection through their work with the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation; both paid tribute to the profound impact of his life. Shin Jang-sik, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, offered his condolences, calling him “the chief detective who protected the safety of ordinary people, the chairman of Yangchon-ri, and the nation’s father who safeguarded Korean Cuisine and Dining.” Euisun Chung, chair of Hyundai Motor Group; Lee Joongkeun, chair of Booyoung Group; former lawmakers Jeong Dae-cheol and Hong Moon-jong; and former baseball player Park Chan-ho also paid their respects.
After undergoing surgery for a herniated disc in March last year, the deceased left KBS1 TV’s Korean Cuisine and Dining, where he had appeared for 14 years, and focused on rehabilitation. His health deteriorated sharply recently, and he died on the night of the 29th. The funeral will be held as a Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation funeral, with Hwang Young-gi serving as chair of the funeral committee. The funeral procession is scheduled to depart at 7:40 a.m. on the 2nd of next month. A funeral Mass will be held at 9 a.m. at Yeouido Cathedral, officiated by Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung, after which he will be taken to the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation and then laid to rest at Donghwa Gyeongmo Park, his burial site.
[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter