[OSEN] The government posthumously awarded the late actor Ahn Sung-ki the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest grade of the Order of Cultural Merit, on the 5th. As a measure to honor his contributions to the development of culture and the arts and to the public's cultural enjoyment, Minister Chae Hwi-young of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism presented the decoration on behalf of the government.
This Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit was his third decoration, following the Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit (third grade) in 2005 and the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit (second grade) in 2013. It carried the meaning of officially honoring his contributions that led the growth and leap of Korean cinema over some 60 years.
After debuting with the 1957 film "Twilight Train," Ahn Sung-ki appeared in more than 130 works, including "A Fine, Windy Day," "Whale Hunting," "Two Cops," "Silmido," "May 18," and Hansan: Rising Dragon, leaving performances that spanned generations. In particular, through "Silmido," he opened the era of the first 10 million admissions in Korean cinema and was regarded as an actor symbolizing popularity and industrial growth.
Having received numerous awards at major ceremonies such as the Grand Bell Awards, the Blue Dragon, and the Baeksang, Ahn was with Korean cinema throughout his life as a "national actor." The deceased passed away at 9 a.m. on the 5th in the intensive care unit of Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, with family at the bedside, and the funeral was held as a film industry funeral. The mourning altar was set up at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital funeral hall, and the funeral procession was solemnly held at 6 a.m. on the 9th.