[Edaily Reporter Gim Ga Yeong ] Yoo In-chon, former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, visited the wake of the late Choi Bul-am and expressed his deep sorrow.

Former Minister Yoo In-chon paid his respects on the morning of the 30th, immediately after the late actor’s wake was set up at the Seoul Asan Hospital funeral home. “When I first started my acting career, you played my father in my debut production, and you lived as my father for 22 years on *Country Diary*,” he said, expressing his deep affection for the late actor by adding, “To me, you were family.”
He continued, “I always called him ‘Father’ in everyday life, and since I always called him that on the show, I still feel that way now,” adding, “Everyone on *Country Diary* lived as if we were family, so his sudden passing is a shock.”
He said, “I hadn’t been able to see him for the past two or three months. He kept saying, ‘Let’s meet when I get better,’ and ‘Let’s see each other when I’m feeling better,’ so I thought I’d be able to see him around September, but receiving the news of his passing makes me feel so sad, regretful, and heartbroken.”
Former Minister Yoo expressed particular grief, noting that the deceased had passed away prematurely in this “era of 100-year lifespans.” “These days, we talk about the ‘era of 100-year lifespans,’ and he was the kind of person who could have lived much longer and continued to have a positive influence on us—that’s what I regret the most,” he said. “He was someone who should have continued to bring comfort to people through even better dramas and programs; it’s a real shame. “Still, I hope he rests in peace; I imagine he’s looking down from above to see how his juniors are doing,” he added.
Former Minister Yoo co-starred with the late actor as father and son in the 1974 MBC drama *Gangnam Family*. They reunited once again as father and son in the 1980 MBC series *Country Diary*, which premiered that year. This drama is considered South Korea’s longest-running series, having aired for a remarkable 22 years.
The late Choi Bul-am passed away around 10 p.m. on the 29th while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. He had undergone surgery for a herniated disc last March and was undergoing rehabilitation, but it is reported that his health recently deteriorated, leading to his passing.
The wake for the late actor has been set up at the Seoul Asan Hospital Funeral Home and will be open to mourners starting at 10:00 a.m. today. The funeral will be conducted by the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation.