Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung administered last rites to actor Choi Bool-am

Actor Choi Bool-am passed away at age 87 on October 29 in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, nine days after receiving the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick from Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung.

It has been revealed that actor the late Choi Bool-am completed his journey of faith by receiving Catholic rites in his hospital room before passing away, adding a sense of poignancy to his departure. It is reported that on October 20, nine days before his death, Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung personally visited his hospital room to administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. As the actor, who was remembered by the public as a warm elder throughout his life, faced his final moments, the religious community expressed condolences, honoring his life and his spirit of sharing.

Archbishop Chung Soon-taick, head of the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul, released a message of condolence for Choi Bool-am's passing on the 30th. Archbishop Chung recalled the deceased as someone who "has been established in the hearts of the people as a warm memory, acting as a father and an elder to our society." The tribute encapsulated the presence of Choi Bool-am, who shared the joys and sorrows of viewers through dramas and broadcasts for many years.

Archbishop Chung also noted how Choi Bool-am lived his life by sharing the love he received from the public with his neighbors. He evaluated the deceased's life as something that "makes us reflect on the true meaning of love and sharing." He honored a life that did not let the fame and public affection gained as an actor remain merely personal glory, but instead connected them to practical actions for neighbors in need.

In particular, details regarding Choi Bool-am's final journey of faith were disclosed. According to Archbishop Chung, Choi Bool-am became a Catholic after being baptized in 2018, and on October 20, nine days before his death, he received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick from Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is a Catholic sacrament through which the grace and comfort of God are sought for believers experiencing difficulties due to illness or frailty. It served as a time to provide spiritual comfort to the deceased as he faced the end of his life.

"I hope that the deceased's journey of faith, which began with baptism, will conclude peacefully in the Lord," Archbishop Chung stated, adding, "I hope that the life and footsteps of the deceased, who lived as both an actor and a person of faith, will be remembered by us for a long time." The message of condolence expressed a desire to remember not only his long acting career but also the traces he left through his faith and sharing with his neighbors.

Choi Bool-am passed away at around 10:00 p.m. on the 29th while receiving inpatient treatment at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. He was 87 years old. Having begun his acting career with the stage play 'Hamlet' in 1959, he established himself as an actor representing an era of Korean broadcasting history, receiving long-standing love from viewers as Chief Inspector Park Yeong-han in 'Chief Inspector' and Chairman Kim in 'Country Diaries'.

The deceased's funeral will be strictly observed with the departure of the coffin at 7:00 a.m. on November 2. The burial site is Donghwa Gyeongmo Park in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, and a funeral mass is scheduled to be held at Yeouido Catholic Church in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, following the departure. Along with family and colleagues, tributes are also continuing from the neighbors to whom he practiced sharing for many years, as the actor is remembered as a warm elder to the nation.

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