Tenor Lim Hyung-joo to perform Ave Maria at Choi Bool-am's funeral

Popera tenor Lim Hyung-joo will perform "Ave Maria" during the funeral mass for actor Choi Bool-am on November 2 at Yeouido Catholic Church in Seoul. The 87-year-old actor, who passed away on the 29th, will be laid to rest at Donghwa Gyeongmo Park in Paju.

Popera tenor Lim Hyung-joo will bid farewell to the late Choi Bool-am through song. Having maintained a close relationship with the actor and his wife, Kim Min-ja, whom he affectionately called "uncle" and "aunt," Lim is scheduled to perform his signature song "Ave Maria" during the funeral mass. As he bids farewell to an elder he loved and respected like family, his performance is expected to carry deep longing and affection.

Lim will sing "Ave Maria" at Choi Bool-am's funeral mass, which will be held on the morning of November 2 at Yeouido Catholic Church in Seoul. The mass, presided over by Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung, will feature the song as a prayer for the deceased's eternal rest. "Ave Maria" is one of Lim's long-standing signature repertoires.

The song holds special significance for Lim. During a special audience with Pope Francis in Mongolia in September 2023, Lim performed "Ave Maria" on the spot. As the song carries deep religious symbolism and lyricism, its performance at Choi Bool-am's final journey will hold even more profound commemorative meaning.

The bond between the two transcended a simple senior-junior relationship in the entertainment industry. Lim maintained a close bond with Choi, calling him "uncle," and the couple, Choi Bool-am and Kim Min-ja, frequently attended his performances, having interacted like family for a long time. It is also known that the couple showed special affection toward Lim.

Following the news of Choi's passing, Lim left a poignant tribute to the deceased on SNS. Referring to him as his "respected and beloved Uncle Choi Bool-am," he recalled the kind smile in a photo taken together a few years ago. He expressed deep sorrow at the sudden parting, writing, "My heart aches even more."

In particular, the final greeting the deceased gave him during his lifetime remained in Lim's heart. Lim wrote, "I still remember him telling me to give him a smiling final farewell when I eventually leave this world," adding, "I will try to follow those words." It was a vow to honor the deceased's request with courtesy until the very end, even amidst the grief of losing a loved one.

In another post, he expressed his grief, stating, "I cannot believe it. Tears just keep flowing." He added that he did not realize the greeting shared during a hospital visit a few months ago would become a final farewell. The performance of "Ave Maria" at the funeral mass is expected to be a final tribute containing his mourning and gratitude for an elder who was like family.

Choi Bool-am passed away on the 29th while receiving treatment at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, at the age of 87. After undergoing spinal surgery in March last year, his mobility became difficult, and he reportedly focused on rehabilitation after stepping down from the KBS 1TV show "Korean Cuisine and Dining," which he had hosted for 14 years since 2011. His health subsequently deteriorated rapidly, leading to his death.

Throughout a 67-year acting career, Choi Bool-am led an era of Korean popular culture, spanning dramas, films, and stage plays. He became a familiar face to the public through works such as "Chief Inspector" and "Country Diaries," and was loved for many years under the symbolic title of "the nation's father." He received acting awards at the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Grand Bell Awards, and was honored with the Order of Civil Merit, Moran Medal and the Silver Crown Order of Cultural Merit.

Beyond his acting, he devoted himself to social contribution. He participated in special live broadcasts to find missing children and help children with rare or incurable diseases, and continued activities for children and youth while serving as the national chairperson of the ChildFund Korea support association and as the chairperson of the Zero Camp corporation. He was appointed as an honorary police officer in 1972 for his contribution to enhancing the image of the police through "Chief Inspector," and in 2024, he was appointed as the first civilian to serve as the honorary head of the National Office of Investigation.

The funeral will be held with the status of the chairperson of ChildFund Korea. The procession and funeral mass will take place on November 2, after which he will be laid to rest at Donghwa Gyeongmo Park in Paju, Gyeonggi-do. Lim Hyung-joo's "Ave Maria" will resonate during the final journey of the actor who provided comfort to the public for many years.

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