'Chief Inspector' and 'Korean Food Table' Star Choi Bool-am Dies at 87; ChildFund Korea Funeral to Be Held

Beloved actor Choi Bool-am has died at the age of 87.

According to Choi Bool-am's family, the actor, whose birth name was Choi Young-han, died at around 10 p.m. on Oct. 29 at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. He had continued rehabilitation after undergoing surgery for a herniated disc in 2025, and said in a media interview around March 2026 that he would return once his rehabilitation was complete. Despite his efforts, however, his health deteriorated, and he reportedly died while receiving inpatient treatment.

Born in 1940, Choi made his debut in the play ‘Hamlet’ in 1959 and appeared on screen in the 1967 drama 〈Prince Suyang〉. He went on to establish himself as a nationally beloved actor through a wide range of works over many years, including 〈Country Diaries〉, the longest-running drama in Korean broadcasting history; 〈Chief Inspector〉, which captivated audiences in the 1970s and ’80s; and 〈The Last Witness〉, 〈Eyes of Dawn〉, 〈You and I〉, 〈Is Love Anyone’s Business?〉 and 〈Gourmet〉.

In particular, from 2011 until 2025, when his herniated disc problems worsened, he hosted the cultural program 〈Korean Food Table〉, which introduces Korean cuisine. Over his 14 years on the program, he won widespread affection not only as a nationally beloved actor but also as the nation's father.

During his lifetime, he continued to donate to and support ChildFund Korea, serving as the organization's national fundraising chair. His funeral will be held at Asan Medical Center Funeral Home, where members of the public may pay their respects starting at 10 a.m. on Oct. 30. ChildFund Korea Chairman Hwang Young-ki will chair the funeral, which will be held over five days as a ChildFund Korea funeral.