The father figure of an era has passed. Beloved actor Choi Bul-am has died at the age of 87. What he left behind is more than countless memorable drama scenes. The evening scenery of families gathered around the television, the warm words exchanged between people, and old stories that started from someone's mouth and made the whole neighborhood laugh — all of these remain alongside his name.

'Chief Inspector' Park Young-han, 'Country Diaries' Chairman Kim... The Faces the Public Remembered

Upon news of his passing, many recalled Park Young-han, the squad chief of 'Chief Inspector,' and Chairman Kim of 'Country Diaries.' The righteous gaze of a detective and the voice of a father who embraced his family — those familiar figures accompanied the lives of Koreans for many years.

Yet in remembering him, one rather unexpected memory comes to mind: the 'Choi Bul-am series.'

The 'Choi Bul-am Series,' Popular in the 1980s–1990s... Humor of Unpredictable Endings

The Choi Bul-am series was a style of humor that spread widely among the public in the 1980s and 1990s. Although it was a fictional narrative unrelated to the actor's actual actions or remarks, his name was so familiar that people could naturally picture the scenes in the stories.

There was a time when people across Korea laughed while calling his name. At school, at work, and among friends, whenever someone began a story with "You know, Choi Bul-am..." people naturally leaned in to listen. Behind that name always lay an unexpected ending.

Among them is a story set in a movie theater. Choi Bul-am went to a theater with an actress. During the film, he asked whether he could put his arm around her, but she misunderstood his intention. After the same question was exchanged several times and the actress finally granted permission, Choi Bul-am, saying he was cold, crossed his own two arms by himself. It was a story whose ending, entirely different from what the other person expected, drew laughter.

There was also a story about a man on a bus who accidentally stepped on his foot and apologized in English, to which he responded with an absurd reply. Other jokes passed among people included answering with a type of meat when asked the title of a song playing in a restaurant, and a story about imitating the bus bell sound with his own voice because he could not reach the stop button. Looking back now, it was truly simple, humble humor.

Strict yet Warm... "A Father You Might Find in Any Home"

Choi Bul-am long portrayed weighty characters. In 'Chief Inspector,' he was a detective standing up against injustice; in 'Country Diaries,' he was an elder who watched over the lives of family and neighbors. His acting was sometimes stern and sometimes grave, but within it lay a warm regard for people.

The public respected him, yet never felt he was distant. He was a famous actor on television, but at the same time a father like one you might find in any home, an elder you might meet at the village entrance.

What the name Choi Bul-am leaves us is the acting of an era, the life of an era, and the warm memories of an era.

[The humor introduced in this article is fictional and unrelated to the deceased's actual actions or remarks. This article was written with partial assistance from AI.]