'Paha~' The Nation's Father of Laughter...Actor Choi Bul-am, Star of 'Detective K', Passes Away at Age 87

'The Nation's Father' Choi Bul-am has passed away. He was 87 years old. According to the broadcasting industry, Choi Bul-am (real name Choi Young-han) passed away around 10 p.m. on the 29th while hospitalized at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul.

After undergoing back surgery in March of last year, the deceased had difficulty moving around and withdrew from KBS 1TV's 'Korean Table' which he had hosted for 14 years since 2011. He subsequently focused on rehabilitation, but his health reportedly deteriorated rapidly in recent times.

Born in Incheon in 1939, the deceased began acting with 'Hamlet' by the Experimental Theater Company in 1959, became a member of the National Theater Company in 1965, and entered the screen as a special talent recruit for KBS in 1967. Over the following 67 years, he spanned theater, drama, and film to become the very embodiment of the father figure in Korean popular culture. His two pillars were Sergeant Park Young-han in MBC's 'Detective K' (1971-1989), the prototype of Korean detective dramas that aired for 18 years, and Chairman Kim of Yangchon Village in the nation's longest-running drama 'Country Diary' (1980-2002), which continued for 22 years.

He was a 'father' from the beginning. He debuted in his twenties playing the elderly Kim Jong-seo in the drama 'Prince Suyang,' took on an old man's role at thirty, and in his forties played former President Syngman Rhee in his eighties in 'The First Republic.' From his youth, he was an actor who did not shy away from supporting roles and unglamorous parts for his work. His presence can also be seen in scenes of Korean film history such as 'The Golden Era of Young-ja' and 'The Windy Good Days.'

His lifelong acting partner was Kim Hae-ja. Together they worked on numerous productions from 'Frog Husband' (1969) to 'Goong' (2006), and after playing husband and wife for 22 years in 'Country Diary,' many viewers mistakenly thought they were actually married. In 1992, at the recommendation of the late Chung Ju-young, honorary chairman of Hyundai Group, he served as a proportional representative for the Unification National Party and was elected to the 14th National Assembly, but returned to his main career with 'Country Diary' in 1996. He left a legacy of acting in characters modeled after Honorary Chairman Chung in 'Ambition 25 Hours' and 'Era of Heroes.'

The 'Paha~' laugh, with his head thrown back and mouth wide open, was his trademark. In the 1990s, humor books titled 'Choi Bul-am Series' featuring him as the protagonist swept across the country, and he was a beloved national actor cherished for his warmth rather than authority. He hosted the current affairs program 'Good Country Movement Headquarters' for nearly a decade, and as the host of 'Korean Table' protected dinner tables across the nation for 14 years. He received the Silver Medal of Cultural Merit in 2014, and in 2018 was commissioned as an honorary police chief in connection with 'Detective K.'

His last performance seen by viewers was a special appearance in 2024's 'Detective K 1958.' Appearing in his elderly form in the story of his younger days as Sergeant Park Young-han, which he had created 53 years earlier, he demonstrated the enduring presence of the 'eternal Sergeant Park Young-han.' In May this year, a documentary titled 'Paha, I'm Choi Bul-am' about his acting life was broadcast, but he himself did not appear before the camera, saying he wanted to focus on rehabilitation. The father of the nation's homes quietly left the stage that way. A funeral hall has been set up at Seoul Asan Hospital's funeral home, and condolences will be received starting at 10 a.m. on the 30th. The funeral will be held under the auspices of Green Umbrella Children's Foundation, where the deceased served as chairman of the support committee, and the time of departure and burial site will be announced as soon as they are determined through consultation with the bereaved family.