Who was Choi Bool-am?

Choi Bool-am was one of Korea's best-known veteran actors, widely remembered as a father figure on screen. He died on October 29 at the age of 87, according to Sports Seoul.

Who has paid tribute?

The wake began on October 30, and actors and cultural figures have visited. Na Moon-hee said a farewell at the wake, saying she would keep many memories of him. Yu In-chon, former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said he played Choi's son in Countryside Life for 22 years and called him a father in a personal sense. Cha In-pyo, who played Choi's son in You and I, said Choi treated younger actors as equals and shared a group photo of the cast on SNS.

What did other figures say?

Pop-opera singer Im Hyung-joo, who called Choi his uncle by marriage, said the news was hard to believe. Composer Yoon Il-sang called him the 'eternal national father' and recalled his roles in Police Squad and Countryside Life.

For international fans

Choi is best known for long-running Korean television dramas such as Countryside Life, one of the longest-running series in Korean TV history, and Police Squad. These shows shaped how many Koreans see the figure of a kind, dependable father on screen.