Veteran actor the late Twist Kim (birth name Kim Han-seop) has been dead for 15 years.
Twist Kim died of a cerebral hemorrhage on the morning of Nov. 30, 2010. He was 74.
Born in Busan in 1936, Twist Kim made his debut in the 1962 film "A Man from Tokyo." He rose to stardom with the 1964 film "Barefoot Youth," in which he co-starred with then top star the late Shin Sung-il. In addition, he appeared in some 150 films during his lifetime, including "Cambo," "Dangerous Youth" and "The Man of a Single Suit."
In particular, as his stage name "Twist Kim" suggests, he was the person who first introduced the twist dance to Korea. As the dance became a phenomenal hit, he acquired the stage name "Twist Kim."
In 2003, his name was illegally used on adult websites, causing controversy. He sued the site operators for defamation, but because there were no relevant laws at the time, the court only notified him of a finding of no charges. He was also sued after being mistakenly accused of claiming to be the biological father of actor Song Seung-heon.
Ultimately, in 2006, the day after a civil lawsuit trial against an adult site operator, Twist Kim collapsed from a stroke while leaving a hotel after an event. He thereafter lived for more than four years with consciousness but was unable to speak at all while battling illness. He even died from lung and kidney complications caused by traumatic cerebral hemorrhage, adding to the sadness.
[Photo] Provided by tvN, SBS.
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