Actor Choi Bool-am reflects on fatherly roles and lifelong devotion to wife

Actor Choi Bool-am, known as the "national father," revealed how the early loss of his father in Incheon shaped his legendary performances. His life also included a bold pursuit of his wife, Kim Min-ja, and a close friendship with Hyundai Group Chairman Chung Ju-yung.

The life trajectory and 75-year journey of actor Choi Bool-am, considered one of the most familiar faces in Korean home dramas, have been highlighted. This story, reported by TV CHOSUN JOY, contains personal longings and artistic backgrounds hidden behind his title as the "national father."

"Fatherly acting" born from longing for his father

Choi Bool-am built an image of a nationally beloved father through works such as "Chief Inspector" and "Country Diaries." However, for him, the existence of a father was an object of longing. His father, whom he could only meet after liberation, had established a foundation in Incheon by running a newspaper company and a film company when Choi was seven years old, but passed away early at the age of 35, just as Choi was becoming accustomed to his father's presence.

This upbringing had a profound influence on his acting world. The period when he had to take on the role of the head of the household after losing his father early and acting in place of his mother made him resilient. He recalled that it was because of his longing for his father that he was able to perform fatherly roles that moved people's hearts, essentially sublimating his deficiency into art.

His artistic sensibilities grew in "Eunseong Tavern," which was a cultural hub in Myeong-dong during the 1950s and 60s. In that location, where journalists and cultural artists gathered, Choi developed his sensibilities through interactions with numerous artists. The combination of the education provided by his strong yet warm mother and this environment became the foundation that created the Choi Bool-am of today.

From connections with Chairman Chung Ju-yung to a love started with a scandal

Choi Bool-am's life also includes special anecdotes involving high-profile figures. He maintained a special friendship with Hyundai Group Chairman Chung Ju-yung, to the extent that the Chairman would personally demonstrate acting or invite him to his residence. In particular, it is reported that during the filming of "Country Diaries," when his scene carrying a traditional A-frame carrier (jige) appeared awkward, Chairman Chung personally taught him how to carry the carrier and how to place rice on a bicycle to increase realism.

Another indispensable pillar of actor Choi Bool-am's life is his love for his wife, Kim Min-ja. When he was a stage actor, he fell in love at first sight upon seeing Kim Min-ja and pursued her so aggressively that he took the open recruitment exam to join the KBS Actors' Association where she belonged. His bold love is demonstrated by the anecdote that, to win the heart of the then-chic Kim Min-ja, he asked a close journalist to intentionally leak scandalous photos and articles to ensure their marriage was successful.

In a recent survey targeting those in their 60s and 70s, he was selected as the "number one man people want to date," but he showed such single-minded devotion that he could not even tell his wife the news because he felt sorry toward her. The couple maintains a friend-like relationship, staying by each other's side for a long time, such as by not raising their children as actors.

An actor who anchored Korean popular culture

Choi Bool-am served as a central axis in the Korean entertainment industry, which featured prominent actors such as his peers Kang Bu-ja and Kim Hye-ja. He is evaluated as having led Korean popular culture by playing a middle role connecting the senior generation active in the 1930s and 40s with the junior generation. Beyond being simply an actor, he is recorded as a figure who has anchored the center of Korean acting history amidst the flow of the times.

Source: TVCHOSUN JOY (YouTube)