Korea's drama history and an actor who embraced modern Korean history through his performances, Choi Bul-am. The program highlighted the life and philosophy of a man who was called "the father of our times".
On the 12th, the MBC documentary "Paha, this is Choi Bul-am" conveyed the second story of actor Choi Bul-am and delivered a deep resonance.
That day Choi Bul-am had received national love for playing father roles in numerous works, but the revelation that in reality he had been a son who lost his father in childhood made the story more poignant. In a past interview Choi Bul-am said, "My resolve was to sincerely present the essence of humanity." But his father died when he was 8, and in reality the time he had with his father was not even three years. All that remained was a single photograph of his father.
Perhaps because of that, even though he spent his life playing fathers, he always poured his inner longing into those roles. Choi Bul-am recalled, "I took father roles no matter what," and "They were the father images I longed for." He added, "Every time I played the father role the world expected, I always thought of the father I missed." An actor who lived without a father ended up portraying the warmest face of a father.
The program also shed light on Choi Bul-am's unique acting world. From his youth he played elderly roles far older than his actual age, and in fact he played the role of the late Shin Sung-il's uncle, who was three years his senior, and the father of the late Lee Soon-jae, who was five years older than him. About that secret, Choi Bul-am once said, "The elderly are beautiful. You must respect their position and learn wisdom from them." Living with his maternal grandfather and naturally observing the life and emotions of the elderly also became a major foundation for his acting. A warm gaze toward people — that was the strength of Choi Bul-am's acting.
In particular, the story of Geum-dong in "Jeonwon Ilgi" was also mentioned again. In the drama Geum-dong was an adopted son, and Choi Bul-am earned great praise for playing a father who embraced the child with his heart. But Choi Bul-am said that the role made him feel guilty. He said, "Although the story came from the tip of the writer's pen, aren't there children like Geum-dong in reality? I thought we should provide real help."
That thought turned into real action. Choi Bul-am continued child sponsorship activities, and fellow actors including Kim Hye-ja and other cast members of "Jeonwon Ilgi" joined in supporting children from difficult families, turning it into a campaign to raise social awareness. It was the so-called "Choi Bul-am effect." Choi Bul-am also described himself as "a clown who cries on behalf of people."
And in reality he stood with the weak across society beyond acting. In the mid-1980s, when the issue of missing children emerged as a serious social problem, Choi Bul-am worked with the Korean National Police Agency to help plan related programs and appeared on special live broadcasts to find missing children. Through that broadcast many children and parents were actually reunited.
He also consistently took part in charity broadcasts for children with intractable diseases, continuing his positive influence. Junior colleagues remembered him as "someone who dreamed of a life where everyone could be happy."
He did not stop there. He met with juveniles who had once committed delinquent acts to talk about the possibility of change, and he entered politics for more fundamental social change. Choi Bul-am ran for the National Assembly with Lee Ju-il and Lee Soon-jae and was elected to the 14th National Assembly in 1992, where he served on the Education Committee. He was said to have had a deep interest in youth issues.
His desire to create a better world for children continued. He established the "Choi Bul-am's BULL" practice studio and, through the "out-of-school youth project," took on the role of acting teacher himself so that children could develop social capabilities. When Choi Bul-am returned to living rooms and stages in 1996, he said, "I want to remain as Korea's romance that pursues a beautiful life rather than a well-fed life."
An actor is not merely someone who plays a role but an existence that completes the great work called life. Choi Bul-am proved that with his acting and his life. An actor who comforted the wounded, became a friend of ordinary people, and lived as everyone's father, Choi Bul-am. That is why juniors and viewers in unison called him "a true clown" and "an elder of our times."
[Photo] "Paha, this is Choi Bul-am broadcast screen capture
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