Actor Choi Bool-am. [Green Children Foundation]
Actor Choi Bool-am. [Green Children Foundation]

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon paid tribute to the late actor Choi Bool-am, reflecting on the actor's special ties to the city.

Oh wrote on Facebook that Choi's absence felt all the more profound because the actor had brought warmth to audiences. "Every time I saw him on screen — as Detective Park in 'Susa Banjang' or Chairman Kim in 'Jeonwon Ilgi' — my heart felt at ease," Oh wrote. "That is why the void left behind feels so large."

Oh added that Choi's hearty laugh carried the image of a father figure, and that the actor's voice held the sorrows and resilience of a generation that had endured hardship. "For 14 years, you traveled the country seeking out humble tables and listening to the lives of ordinary neighbors," Oh wrote. "You never let go of the hands of children in need, right until the very end."

Oh noted that Choi's connection to Seoul had been especially close. "Choi was our longest-serving honorary ambassador, having represented Seoul since 1998," Oh wrote. "All of us who are part of this city will remember with one heart the dedication of someone who became the face of Seoul for so many years."

Oh also wrote that it was heartbreaking to think that someone who had always seemed like a permanent presence — a father to the nation — could now only be met in memory.


cook@heraldcorp.com