South Korean film legend Ahn Sung-ki, widely known as “The Nation’s Actor,” has died at the age of 74, marking the end of a career that defined modern Korean cinema.
Ahn died on Monday at Seoul’s Soonchunhyang University Hospital after battling blood cancer for several years, according to his agency, the Artist Company, and hospital officials.
In a statement, the Artist Company expressed deep sorrow over his passing, offering condolences to his family and praying for his eternal rest. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also paid tribute, describing Ahn as a source of comfort and reflection for countless people. “I already miss his warm smile and gentle voice,” the president wrote.
Born in 1952 in the southeastern city of Daegu to a filmmaker father, Ahn made his screen debut as a child actor in 1957’s The Twilight Train. He appeared in nearly 70 films as a child before stepping away from acting to pursue a more conventional life.
In 1970, Ahn enrolled at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, majoring in Vietnamese. Despite graduating with top honours, he struggled to find corporate employment, a difficulty he later attributed to the diminished relevance of his major following the end of the Vietnam War.
He returned to acting in 1977, and his breakthrough came in 1980 with Good, Windy Days, a coming-of-age film that captured the struggles of working-class youth during South Korea’s rapid transformation. The role earned him the Grand Bell Award for Best New Actor and cemented his place in Korean cinema.
Over the following decades, Ahn delivered acclaimed performances across a wide range of roles, including a Buddhist monk in Mandara, a beggar in Whale Hunting, a Vietnam War veteran in White Badge, a corrupt police officer in Two Cops, and a special forces trainer in Silmido. His work in Radio Star further endeared him to audiences for its warmth and emotional depth.
Ahn won the Grand Bell Award for Best Actor five times a record unmatched in South Korea and collected dozens of major industry honours throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Beyond his achievements on screen, Ahn was admired for his humility, quiet personal life and avoidance of scandal. His gentle public image earned him widespread affection and the enduring title “The Nation’s Actor.”
Though he once felt burdened by the label, Ahn later said it guided him toward a more meaningful career path. He is survived by his wife and two sons. Funeral arrangements were set to continue at a Seoul hospital through Friday.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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