Minister Choi Hwi-young: “You said we’d definitely have a drink once you got out...” A tearful glass of makgeolli, finally drained alone before the portrait of the late Choi Bool-am

[Financial News] Choi Hwi-young, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, placed a glass of makgeolli before the portrait of the late Choi Bool-am and expressed his deep sadness over a promise he ultimately could not keep.
On the 31st, Minister Choi paid heartfelt tribute to the late actor in a post on his social media, saying, “I was so saddened and regretful that we couldn’t keep our promise, so I filled a glass of makgeolli to the brim and offered it to you.” He recalled visiting the late actor in the hospital in June, saying, “As I was about to leave the hospital room, he beckoned me over and said, ‘When you get out, let’s have a drink.’ That warm voice is still so vivid in my memory.”
Minister Choi said his heart ached even more when the late actor’s wife, Kim Min-ja, saw the glass of liquor before the portrait and replied, “I think he would have really liked it.” He offered a heavy-hearted farewell: “I hope you rest peacefully. Thank you so much for everything.”
The day before, Minister Choi had visited the wake at the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center to console the bereaved family and, representing the government, presented the late actor with the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit (First Class). It was the highest honor, bestowed in recognition of the dedication and achievements of the “nation’s beloved actor,” who made his debut in the 1959 play Hamlet and spent 67 years moving between the stage and television, sharing the joys and sorrows of the public.
The late Choi Bool-am’s health deteriorated sharply after surgery for a herniated disc in March last year. He passed away on the 29th at the age of 87.
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