Ahn Sung-ki Passes Away Four Days After Birthday; Renowned Director Mourns Tearfully: An Era Has Ended

Korea's film world mourns the loss of a legendary superstar! The national treasure-level best actor Ahn Sung-ki was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after reportedly choking on food and losing consciousness on December 30 of last year. He spent his 74th birthday in the intensive care unit on the 1st, and on the 5th, news of his passing broke. Following the revelation, director Lee Joon-ik, who had a deep connection with him, was choked with emotion during an interview, expressing in a single sentence the sentiments of countless filmmakers.

Ahn Sung-ki received Best Actor honors multiple times at Korea's top three film festivals and held a revered position in the film industry. In October 2020, reports surfaced that he had collapsed and was hospitalized for over ten days, after which he rarely made public appearances. Later, he disclosed his illness, admitting to having been diagnosed with leukemia in 2019. He did not shy away from discussing his changes in appearance after falling ill, openly saying he had lost all his hair and, "If I take off my wig, I’m bald."

Ahn Sung-ki passed away on the morning of the 5th, and his funeral will be held in the form of a "film community funeral," symbolizing his lifelong dedication to the silver screen and his influence. Debuting in 1957 in director Kim Ki-young's film "Twilight Train," Ahn was known as the "national actor." Over approximately 60 years, he appeared in nearly 200 films. Even while battling illness, he participated in works such as "Hansan: Rising Dragon" and "Noryang: Deadly Sea," and was deeply respected.

Director Lee Joon-ik, after learning of the sad news, immediately accepted an interview with Korean media, admitting, "When I first heard, my mind went completely blank," and was momentarily at a loss for words. "This is truly shocking. He was the most representative actor of our era; an era has now ended." He reflected that Ahn Sung-ki's presence had long since transcended the realm of "critique," becoming a symbol of an era. "That sense of loss cannot be captured in a few simple words."