SOUTH KOREAN ACTOR AHN SUNG-KI, KNOWN AS ‘THE NATION’S ACTOR,’ DIES AT 74.(PHOTO).

South Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki, known as ‘The Nation’s Actor,’ dies at 74

 Ahn Sung-ki, one of South Korea’s most celebrated actors whose 60-year career and warm, gentle public persona earned him the title “The Nation’s Actor,” passed away Monday at the age of 74. He had been battling blood cancer for several years and died at Seoul’s Soonchunhyang University Hospital, officials and his agency, the Artist Company, confirmed.

In a statement, the Artist Company expressed deep sorrow over his passing and offered condolences to his family. President Lee Jae Myung also paid tribute, noting that Ahn brought comfort, joy, and reflection to countless people, adding, “I already miss his warm smile and gentle voice.”

Ahn’s acting journey began in 1957 as a child actor in the film The Twilight Train. Over the next decade, he appeared in roughly 70 films before briefly stepping away from acting to pursue a normal life. In 1970, he studied Vietnamese at Seoul’s Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, graduating with honors, though his degree did not lead to career opportunities in the wake of the Vietnam War. He returned to acting in 1977, and by 1980, his starring role in Lee Jang-ho’s Good, Windy Days—a coming-of-age story about working-class men during South Korea’s rapid transformation—earned him the Best New Actor award at the Grand Bell Awards.

Over the following decades, Ahn became a fixture of South Korean cinema, delivering acclaimed performances in films such as Mandara (1981) as a Buddhist monk, Whale Hunting (1984) as a beggar, White Badge (1992) as a Vietnam War veteran-turned-novelist, Two Cops (1993) as a corrupt officer, No Where To Hide (1999) as a murderer, Silmido (2003) as a special forces trainer, and Radio Star (2006) as a devoted celebrity manager. He won the Grand Bell Award for Best Actor five times, a record unmatched in South Korea.

Known for his humility, reliability, and family-oriented nature, Ahn maintained a scandal-free public life. Surveys repeatedly named him the country’s most beloved actor, earning him the enduring nickname “The Nation’s Actor.” He admitted in interviews that while the label once felt constraining, it guided him toward meaningful roles and shaped his career path. Ahn also famously avoided romantic scenes, citing shyness and discomfort with portraying love he did not feel in real life, a choice he believed was ultimately right for him.

Ahn is survived by his wife and their two sons. A mourning hall at the hospital in Seoul is scheduled to remain open until Friday.