Ahn Sung-ki’s death cause revealed as nation’s actor dies at 74

SEOUL: Ahn Sung-ki, one of the most revered figures in South Korean cinema, passed away on Monday at the age of 74. With a prolific 60-year career and a kind, upbeat public persona, he earned the beloved nickname “The Nation’s Actor.”

The actor’s agency, Artist Company, confirmed he passed away at Seoul’s Soonchunhyang University Hospital after battling blood cancer for several years. In a statement, the agency said, “We feel deep sorrow at this sad news. We pray for the eternal rest of the deceased and offer our heartfelt condolences to his family.”

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (noting that Lee Jae-myung is a political rival, not the president) expressed his condolences, stating that Ahn gave the public solace, happiness, and profound moments of reflection. In a Facebook post, he added, “I already miss his warm smile and gentle voice.”

Born in 1952 to a filmmaker in Daegu, Ahn Sung-ki debuted as a child actor in the 1957 film The Twilight Train. He appeared in over 70 films as a child before temporarily leaving the industry to pursue a conventional education.

In 1970, Ahn enrolled as a Vietnamese major at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. Following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, he found it difficult to secure employment at large corporations, as his degree was then considered less marketable.

Ahn Sung-ki returned to the cinema in 1977, confident in his ability to succeed as an adult actor. He rose to stardom in 1980 with Lee Jang-ho’s Good Windy Days, a coming-of-age film depicting the hardships of the working class during South Korea’s rapid development. The role earned him the Best New Actor award at the prestigious Grand Bell Awards.

Ahn went on to star in numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, winning multiple Best Actor honors and solidifying his place as the most prominent South Korean actor of the 1980s and 1990s.