(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeong Rae-won = "I think the moment I acted with Choi Bul-am will be the most glorious and long-lasting memory in my acting life."
Actor Lee Je-hoon said this while recalling the moment he visited the funeral of the late Choi Bul-am at the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 1st and acted with the deceased.
Lee Je-hoon played the young detective Park Young-han in the MBC drama 'Investigation Team Leader 1958', which aired in 2024. Choi Bul-am, who played Captain Park in the original drama 'Investigation Chief', made a special appearance in this work and performed his last acting role.
Lee Je-hoon recalled, “The teacher’s really comfortable smile and happy child-like appearance served as a great example to me. I wanted to imitate Captain Park in ‘Chief of Investigation,’ so I observed the teacher closely and looked into how he smiled.”
He recalled his memories, saying, “I thought it would have been like this if my paternal grandfather were alive,” and “I was nervous because the teacher said he would look forward to it and watch over me, and I wondered how I could do better.”
Actress Kim Hye-soo has been closely guarding the bereaved family's side, guiding mourners like her own daughter for three days now, following the 30th and 31st of last month.
It is known that Kim Hye-soo called Choi Bul-am 'father' and became close to him like family after working together as mother and daughter with the deceased's wife, actor Kim Min-ja, in the drama 'Samo Gok' (1987).
When Kim Hye-soo appeared on the 10th anniversary special broadcast of KBS 1TV's 'Korean Table' in 2021, the sweet text message from the deceased, which she revealed, saying, 'I kept it because it was like a poem,' also attracted attention again.
In the published message, the deceased asked Kim Hye-soo, who was leaving for New York one fall, 'How can I travel such a long distance that takes twelve to three to four hours? 'I'm leaving behind the cool breeze of Seoul', 'Then let's go and listen to Hye-su's dream story!' He expressed his affectionate greetings.
Actress Eom Yoo-shin, who appeared as the eldest daughter of Chairman Kim Yangchon-ri, played by Choi Bul-am in the MBC drama 'Pastoral Diary' (1980-2002), also visited the funeral.
He said, "It doesn't feel real, so even though a lot of time has passed, I feel like my teacher is still somewhere, and I feel like I'm going to appear in another drama somewhere. I've always looked up to him, but my heart hurts a lot."
Former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon, who worked with the deceased as father and son for 22 years in the drama 'Country Diary', visited the funeral home again on this day to see the deceased off on his final journey. Former Minister Yoo visited the mortuary and mourned the deceased on the 30th of last month, when condolences began.
Actor Kang Bu-ja, who served as a member of the 14th National Assembly with the deceased, actors Lee Deok-hwa and Yoon Yu-seon, and singer Andy, a public relations ambassador for the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation, also visited the funeral in person to honor the deceased's soul.
Actress Chae Shi-ra, who worked with the deceased in works such as 'Eyes of Dawn' (1991-1992), 'The Goodbye' (2018), and 'Immortal' (1996-1997), expressed her condolences through social networking services (SNS).
He released a photo of a scene from 'Mimang' taken side by side with Chae Si Lagoin and wrote, "Thank you for being with us, and I learned just by showing you," and "You worked hard to survive. Rest in peace."
The deceased passed away on the 29th of last month as his health deteriorated after undergoing rehabilitation treatment after undergoing surgery for a lumbar disc in March of last year.
At 2:30 pm on this day, the deceased's inauguration ceremony was held with his wife Kim Min-ja and children in attendance. Hanbok designer Park Sool-nyeo created the shroud.
The funeral will be held privately at 7:40 a.m. on the 2nd, and a funeral mass will be held at 9 a.m. at Yeouido Cathedral with Cardinal Yeom Su-jeong officiating. Popera tenor Lim Hyeong-joo, who had a special relationship with the deceased, calling him 'uncle', is scheduled to say his final farewell by singing 'Ave Maria'.
Before heading to the funeral, the deceased will make a last visit to the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation, where he served as the president of the National Sponsorship Committee, before being buried at Dongwha Gyeongmo Park in Paju, Gyeonggi-do.
