Actor Choi Bul-am's condition was revealed this week. Nearly a year after surgery for a herniated disc and a long absence from public life, he appeared for the first time in a teaser for an MBC documentary. His gaunt appearance and a single brief line moved many viewers. Born in 1940, Choi is 86 years old.
On the 27th, MBC posted the second teaser for the current-affairs program \"Paha: This Is Choi Bul-am\" on its YouTube channel, MBC PLAYGROUND. The two-part documentary, set to air May 5 and 12 at 9 p.m., presents Choi's six-decade career as a playlist in a radio-style format. Park Sang-won, who played his son opposite Choi in the 1997 drama You and I, serves as the presenter.
In the teaser, a thin Choi sits across from younger actor Chae Shi-ra and quietly says, \"It's about my father… I wanted to say this.\" Chae immediately breaks into tears, and Jung Kyung-ho and Lee Gye-in are left unable to speak. Go Doo-shim, who worked with Choi for many years on the MBC drama Jeonwon Ilgi, described him as the very embodiment of Korea's father figure.
The clip also captures Choi recalling his childhood: \"After liberation, I remember calling for my father for only about a year, maybe a year and a half.\" The boy who lost his father at a young age and once stood at a premiere holding his father's portrait went on to spend his life playing fathers on screen. The teaser overlays a past scene of Yoo In-chon leaning on Choi's shoulder and crying \"Father\" with Jeonwon Ilgi's famous line, \"Children fall from the sky,\" leaving a resonant aftertaste.
Choi's absence began with last year's surgery for a herniated disc. After the operation his mobility worsened, and he stepped down from KBS1's Korean Table, a program he had toured across the country for more than 700 episodes since 2011. Actor Choi Soo-jong later took over the role.
When he stopped appearing publicly, colleagues expressed concern. After the death of Lee Soon-jae heightened attention to veterans' health, Baek Il-seob said on a broadcast, \"Choi Bul-am hasn't been answering calls lately. We feel helpless because we can't check on him directly.\" Jeonwon Ilgi co-star Park Eun-soo also remarked that Choi was not well. In response to those rumors, Choi's representatives said in March that his back had been bothering him and he was focusing on rehabilitation but had no trouble with daily activities. His son said he had experienced difficulty walking, received post-surgical rehab, and is expected to be discharged soon.
Born in Incheon in 1940, Choi's given name is Choi Young-han. He made his stage debut in 1959 in a National Theater production of Hamlet, becoming at the time the youngest Korean actor to take the title role. He entered television as a KBS contract actor in 1967 and was scouted by MBC after its 1969 launch, quickly becoming a household presence.
He helped popularize the detective genre by portraying Chief Park on Susabanjang (Chief Detective) for 18 years (1971–1989), and he earned the nation's \"father\" nickname playing Chairman Kim of Yangchon-ri for 22 years on Jeonwon Ilgi (1980–2002). Choi has said that Jeonwon Ilgi is the work he holds most dear, a series that mirrors his own life. Outside acting, he served in the 14th National Assembly in 1992, and the National Police Agency honored him for his work on Susabanjang with the titles of honorary superintendent and later honorary chief superintendent.
In the wake of Lee Soon-jae's death and the growing sense of loss for the generation of veteran stars, news of Choi's return has been a comfort for fans. Choi said of his documentary appearance, \"I want to express my gratitude to the viewers who have loved me for so long. That's the heart of a performer.\" The remark echoed his long-held view that an actor is, at heart, an entertainer. Paha: This Is Choi Bul-am will air on MBC on May 5 and 12.
