[OSEN] The government posthumously awarded actor Ahn Sung-ki, who died on the 5th, the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest grade of the Order of Cultural Merit. As a measure to honor his contributions to the development of culture and the arts and to the public's enjoyment of culture, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young presented the decoration on behalf of the government.
This Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit followed the Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit (3rd class) in 2005 and the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit (2nd class) in 2013, marking his third decoration. It carried the meaning of officially honoring his role in leading the growth and leap of Korean cinema over about 60 years.
Ahn Sung-ki debuted in 1957 with the film "Twilight Train" and appeared in about 130 titles, 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-viewer Korean film, and he was regarded as an actor symbolizing both popularity and industrial growth.
He won multiple awards at major ceremonies such as the Grand Bell Awards, the Blue Dragon Film Awards, and the Baeksang Arts Awards, and he spent his life with Korean cinema as a "national actor." The deceased passed away at 9 a.m. on this day in the intensive care unit of Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Yongsan District, Seoul, with family at his side, and the funeral was held as a film industry funeral. The wake was prepared at the Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary's Hospital funeral hall, and the burial was held at 6 a.m. on the 9th.