Na Moon-hee pays tribute to late actor Choi Bool-am

Actress Na Moon-hee visited the Asan Medical Center Funeral Hall on the 30th to pay her respects to Choi Bool-am, who passed away at age 87 on the 29th. The longtime colleague, who previously starred alongside Choi in the 2014 SBS drama 'A Good Day,' described the late actor as "our pride."

Actress Na Moon-hee visited the funeral hall of the late Choi Bool-am to offer her final farewells. At the moment of parting with a colleague she had worked with for many years, Na expressed deep loss with the brief words, "He has gone ahead of us." Her tribute, stating, "He was our pride," captured the regret and respect felt for a great elder of the Korean entertainment industry.

On the 30th, Na Moon-hee visited Choi Bool-am's funeral altar, which was set up in Room 20 of the Asan Medical Center Funeral Hall. Entering the room slowly with the support of those around her, she waited her turn and paid her respects before the deceased's portrait to see him on his final journey.

After paying her respects, Na Moon-hee met with the press and said in a trembling voice, "He has gone ahead of us." She continued, "He was our pride, and it makes a corner of my heart very sad that he has gone ahead like this," before bowing her head and saying, "Goodbye." Though her farewell was brief, it conveyed the deep affection she held for her longtime colleague.

When asked about her memories with Choi Bool-am, she replied, "There are too many memories... I will just cherish them." Rather than recounting every memory built through numerous works and years, she reserved her words as if to keep them safely in her heart. Even in her calm response, a deep longing for the deceased was evident.

The two had worked together as a married couple in the 2014 SBS drama 'A Good Day.' At the time, Na had expressed her respect for the experience, describing meeting Choi Bool-am as a "blessing." Although she has met many colleagues throughout her long career as an actor, Choi Bool-am was an actor of special significance to her.

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 debuted in the 1959 stage play 'Hamlet,' he was beloved by the nation for his roles in numerous works such as MBC's 'Chief Inspector,' 'Country Diaries,' and 'You and I.' His characters, Chief Park Yeong-han in 'Chief Inspector' and Chairman Kim in 'Country Diaries,' remain iconic figures in Korean drama history.

Since 2011, he hosted KBS 1TV's 'Korean Cuisine and Dining,' meeting ordinary neighbors across the country to share stories of life embedded in food. Since undergoing surgery for a herniated disc last March, he had been focusing on rehabilitation, stepping away from the program he had shared with viewers for a long time.

The funeral procession will be held strictly at 7:00 a.m. on November 2, and the burial site is Donghwa Gyeongmo Park. Na Moon-hee's farewell, "He was our pride," spoke for the hearts of colleagues as they bid farewell to an actor who shared an era and will remain long in the public memory.

Read the original (Korean)