Baek Il-seob explains Kim Yong-gun's absence from Choi Bool-am's funeral

Actor Baek Il-seob visited the funeral of Choi Bool-am at Asan Medical Center on the 31st of last month, explaining that Kim Yong-gun could not attend due to his son Ha Jung-woo's upcoming wedding on December 13.

While actor Baek Il-seob visited the funeral of the late Choi Bool-am to pay his respects, he also shared the circumstances regarding why Kim Yong-gun, who played his father-son counterpart for a long time in "Country Diaries," was unable to attend. Baek explained that he actually told Kim not to come, citing Kim's situation with his son Ha Jung-woo's upcoming wedding.

On the 31st of last month, Baek Il-seob visited the funeral hall of Choi Bool-am at Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul, to bid the deceased a final farewell. Meeting with reporters after paying his respects, he expressed deep sorrow over the sudden news, stating, "I never expected this at all." He further showed his affection for the deceased, adding, "He should have lived to be over 90."

Baek Il-seob also recalled the consistent interactions he had with Choi Bool-am during his lifetime. He shared anecdotes of sharing meals and drinks with Kim Yong-gun and Lee Kye-in, noting, "We would meet once or twice a month to have dinner and a glass of soju." As their relationship formed through their work and extended into private meetings beyond the filming sets, the sudden parting appears to have hit him even harder.

A notable part of Baek Il-seob's remarks was the explanation for Kim Yong-gun's absence. In the MBC drama "Country Diaries," Kim Yong-gun played Yong-jin, the eldest son of Chairman Kim, played by Choi Bool-am, portraying a father-son relationship for a long time. Having played family members in the production, the two maintained a deep bond as seniors and juniors outside of the work.

“Yong-jin should have come, but isn't his son (Ha Jung-won) getting married next month?” Baek revealed, stating, “He called me.” He explained that because Kim Yong-gun is facing the circumstances of his son's upcoming marriage, it was difficult for him to attend the funeral, adding, “So I told him not to come.” In doing so, he balanced mourning the deceased with consideration for his colleague's personal circumstances.

Ha Jung-woo is scheduled to marry actress Cha Jung-won at a hotel in Seoul on December 13. The two are reported to have been dating for six years. As Kim Yong-gun is in the midst of preparing for his son's wedding, Baek Il-seob's explanation provided the background for why he could not attend the mourning.

Choi Bool-am passed away at around 10:00 p.m. on the 29th of last month while receiving inpatient treatment at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. He was 87 years old. Born in Incheon in 1939, he debuted in the stage play "Hamlet" in 1959, performed on the stage of the Experimental Theater Society, and began his full-scale broadcasting career after being selected as a specially recruited talent for Seoul Central Broadcasting (now KBS) in 1967.

The deceased established himself as an iconic figure in Korean detective dramas by playing the role of Inspector Park Yeong-han for 18 years in the MBC drama "Chief Inspector." In "Country Diaries," which began in 1980, he earned the title of "national actor" by appearing alongside viewers for 22 years as Chairman Kim. The funeral procession will strictly follow the schedule at 7:40 a.m. on the 2nd, and a funeral mass will be held at 9:00 a.m. at Yeouido Catholic Church in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, presided over by Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung. Following this, the procession will move through ChildFund Korea to the final resting place at Donghwa Gyeongmo Park.

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