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South Korean actor Choi Bool-am, who died at age 87 on Oct. 29, is being remembered through television documentaries featuring his reflections on happiness, balance and his lifelong passion for acting.
Korean broadcaster KBS aired a special documentary, "A Warm Elder, Choi Bool-am: You Were Our Way," on Oct. 30, revisiting his career and his 14-year journey across South Korea as host of "The Table of Korean Life," a program exploring the country's regional food and culinary traditions.
A philosophy of balance and shared happiness
Footage from a spring 2024 filming session showed Choi describing the food program as "our lives." He called himself a messenger introducing food to viewers and spoke about the happiness that comes from enjoying a good meal.
He also described moderation as an essential approach to life. "Don't be too happy when things are going wonderfully, and don't be too sad when things are difficult. Maintaining balance is what life is about," he said.
Asked about happiness in front of a cherry tree in full bloom, Choi said it was something people had to feel. He described it as living without discomfort or anxiety and emphasized that happiness should be shared rather than enjoyed individually. Watching the sunset after filming, he reflected that both sunrise and sunset could move people deeply.
An actor who never stopped dreaming
Despite being in his 80s, Choi maintained ambitions as an actor. Looking back at memorable scenes from his career, he said he wanted to perform them again. Asked whether he still had dreams, he replied that having no dreams meant being dead. He spoke of aspirations to become a better actor, win awards and achieve international recognition.
The documentary ended with a message of gratitude to viewers, whom he thanked and told that he loved.
MBC revisits a documentary he personally requested
Rival broadcaster MBC also aired a reedited version of the first episode of its two-part documentary "Paha, This Is Choi Bool-am," originally broadcast in May. Actor Park Sang-won, who played Choi's eldest son in the drama "You and Me," presented the program, which traced Choi's acting career.
The project began after Choi, who was undergoing treatment for an illness in 2025, personally called the production team and asked them to make a program reflecting on his life. MBC said the documentary was broadcast in May while he was still alive. Choi had planned to appear, but his family reportedly persuaded him to concentrate on rehabilitation instead.
Producer Kim Hyun-ki later recalled on social media that news of Choi's deteriorating condition had reached the team periodically and that the actor ultimately could not participate. Kim had previously worked with him on MBC's 2021 documentary about the long-running rural family drama "Country Diaries."
A career defined by two landmark television dramas
Born Choi Young-han, the actor began performing with the National Theater Company of Korea in 1964 and became a full member the following year. He entered television in 1967 after joining Seoul Central Broadcasting, now KBS, as a specially recruited actor.
He became widely recognized for playing Detective Chief Park Young-han in MBC's crime series "Chief Detective," which ran from 1971 to 1989, and Chairman Kim Min-jae in the long-running rural family drama "Country Diaries." Both roles made him a familiar presence in South Korean homes for generations of viewers.
Actor Lee Je-hoon, who portrayed a younger version of Park Young-han in the 2024 prequel "Chief Detective 1958," visited Choi's funeral on Nov. 1. Lee said working alongside Choi had been one of the greatest honors of his acting career and a memory he would cherish. Choi's special appearance in the prequel was his final acting performance.
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