When and how did Choi Bool-am die?

Veteran actor Choi Bool-am died at age 87 around 10 p.m. on the night before the report, at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, according to Sports Seoul citing broadcasting industry sources. He had been receiving rehabilitation after lumbar disc surgery, which had made it difficult for him to move. He died of old age.

Who was Choi Bool-am?

Choi spent more than 60 years in Korean entertainment, building a warm, down-to-earth screen image that earned him the nickname 'father of Korea'. Many younger actors and ordinary viewers have expressed condolences since the news broke.

What did Kim Hye-ja say about him?

Kim Hye-ja played his wife for 22 years on MBC's long-running family drama 'Countryside Life'. In a 2023 appearance on tvN STORY's 'Chairman's People', she said, 'He was my husband, and everything was good,' and shared a photo he had taken of her. She also said that they had known each other since before 'Countryside Life', when they worked together in theater, and called him an old friend she had missed.

Funeral arrangements

The funeral hall is set up at the Seoul Asan Medical Center funeral home. The funeral procession is scheduled for November 2 at 7 a.m., with burial at Donghwa Gyeongmo Park.

For international fans

'Countryside Life' is one of the longest-running family dramas in Korean TV history, and it is the series most closely associated with both actors. Fans looking to watch it can check Korean streaming platforms and MBC's own catalog for availability in their region.