[OSEN] The government posthumously awarded the highest grade of the Order of Cultural Merit, the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, to the late actor Ahn Sung-ki, who died 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 followed the Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit (3rd grade) in 2005 and the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit (2nd grade) in 2013, making it his third decoration. It carried the meaning of officially honoring his contributions that led the growth and leap of Korean cinema over more than 60 years.
Ahn Sung-ki debuted in 1957 with the film "Twilight Train" and appeared in more than 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 Korean cinema's first 10 million admissions, and was regarded as an actor symbolizing popularity and industrial growth.
He received numerous awards at major ceremonies including the Grand Bell Awards, Blue Dragon, and Baeksang, and he lived his life alongside Korean cinema as a "national actor." The deceased died at 9 a.m. on the day at the intensive care unit of Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Yongsan District, Seoul, with his family at his side, and the funeral was held as a film industry funeral. The wake was set up at the funeral hall of Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, and the cortege departed at 6 a.m. on the 9th.