The Korean Actors Association officially announced that Ahn Sung-ki passed away at around 9 AM at the intensive care unit of Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, surrounded by family. This comes six days after he collapsed at home due to choking on food on the 30th of last month and had been in a coma while receiving intensive care.
The deceased was a living witness of the Korean film industry and one of the most respected actors. Ahn Sung-ki debuted as a child actor in director Kim Ki-young's film "Twilight Train" in 1957 and led the golden age of Korean cinema by appearing in over 170 works for a long span of 69 years.
He established a unique position as an adult actor through director Im Kwon-taek's "Mandala" (1981) and opened the golden age of Korean comedy films with "Two Cops" (1993). He also showcased a wide acting spectrum across genres with films like "No Mercy for the Rude" (1999) and "Makeup" (2015), receiving love from both the public and critics.
Ahn Sung-ki was not only known for his acting skills but also for his humility and upright character, making him a great role model both inside and outside the film industry. He was often referred to as the actor who best fits the title of 'National Actor', serving as a strong support for junior filmmakers and remembered by audiences as a familiar yet deeply resonant actor.
Since being diagnosed with blood cancer in 2019, he continued to fight his illness while not letting go of his passion for film. It is known that he had been working hard for health recovery and a return to acting until recently, adding to the sorrow of his passing. As a great star of Korean cinema has left us, waves of mourning are sweeping through the film industry and the public.
