KBS to air two special documentaries memorializing actor Choi Bool-am

KBS 1TV will broadcast two special documentaries to honor the late actor Choi Bool-am, who had a 67-year acting career. The programs, scheduled for October 30 and November 1, will feature footage from his 14-year journey leading "Korean Cuisine and Dining."

KBS will broadcast two special documentary programs to memorialize the late national actor Choi Bool-am.

The late Choi Bool-am began his acting career in stage plays in 1959. He made his television debut in the KBS drama "Suyang Daegun," playing the elderly Kim Jong-seo, after being selected as a 6th generation talent for Seoul Central Broadcasting (now KBS) in 1967. Throughout a 67-year acting career, he led an era of Korean broadcasting and popular culture, moving between dramas, films, and stage plays. He maintained a long-standing relationship with KBS, spanning from his start as an actor to his work as a presenter and narrator for current affairs and educational programs. He hosted "Good Nation Movement Headquarters" from 1999 to 2008 and led "Korean Cuisine and Dining" for 14 years from 2011 to 2025.

To honor his memory, KBS has prepared two special programs: "A Warmhearted Elder, Choi Bool-am – You Were the Way" and "Choi Bool-am, Keeper of the Table, We Remember You." These programs will look back on the life and acting career of Choi Bool-am, who provided laughter and comfort to viewers for many years, as well as his 14-year journey leading "Korean Cuisine and Dining."

A Warmhearted Elder, Choi Bool-am – You Were the Way

The first special documentary, "A Warmhearted Elder, Choi Bool-am – You Were the Way," will air on October 30 at 11:10 p.m. It features footage of the late Choi Bool-am from a spring day two years ago when he set out to film "Korean Cuisine and Dining."

The production team accompanied the late Choi Bool-am from the moment of travel to the filming sites, capturing sincere conversations and stories about life. The program provides a calm look at the heart of the man behind the roles that brought the Korean people to their televisions, as well as the trajectory of his life as an actor.

For Choi Bool-am, "Korean Cuisine and Dining" was more than just a program introducing food; it was a journey of meeting people and learning about life. He discovered the wisdom of time in the flavors passed down from mothers to children and read the efforts and hearts of neighbors in carefully prepared meals.

"A Warmhearted Elder, Choi Bool-am – You Were the Way" reflects on his life through his welcoming nature toward people, his attitude of valuing every morsel of food, and his passion for never ceasing to learn despite his long years of acting.

The documentary follows the life of an actor who still dreamed of good performances, a man who always learned something new in front of a dining table, and an elder who spoke of the happiness of everyone rather than just himself. Following his voice captured during that spring day, viewers will walk the path of the life of Choi Bool-am, an actor they loved and who loved them.

Choi Bool-am, Keeper of the Table, We Remember You

The second special, "Choi Bool-am, Keeper of the Table, We Remember You," will air on November 1 at 8:10 p.m. It retraces the footsteps of the late Choi Bool-am, who visited dining tables across the country with a consistent heart for 14 years.

To keep his promise to viewers, Choi Bool-am headed to filming sites every week. Through the records of "Korean Cuisine and Dining" accumulated over 14 years—from the early morning starts to the moments he sat before carefully prepared meals—the program reflects on the responsibility and sincerity hidden behind his familiar voice and simple laughter.

Choi Bool-am sought more than just delicious food. His meals contained the hands that worked to prepare a single meal, the flavors inherited from mothers, and the stories of families and neighbors who endured difficult times together. By listening to the stories of people met throughout the country, he conveyed the values embedded in ordinary lives and the meaning of the Korean dining table to viewers.

This special will also revisit his journeys to visit overseas Korean communities. It reflects on the meaning of the dining table that connected people across the sea through food and memories maintained even after leaving their homeland, including family memories, hometown dialects, and unforgettable landscapes contained in a single bowl of food. The footage of Choi Bool-am sitting with overseas Koreans who have preserved the food of their homeland in foreign lands shows that "Korean Cuisine and Dining" delivered more than just information about food. Those meals served as comfort to endure longing for home and as a warm connection linking different lives.

The narration for the program will be provided by actor Choi Soo-jong, the successor to "Korean Cuisine and Dining." Through narration and interviews, Choi Soo-jong will calmly reflect on the path taken by his senior, the late Choi Bool-am, and convey the ongoing meaning of the dining table.

The KBS memorial special "A Warmhearted Elder, Choi Bool-am – You Were the Way" airs tonight at 11:10 p.m., and "Choi Bool-am, Keeper of the Table, We Remember You" airs this Sunday at 8:10 p.m. on KBS 1TV.

Read the original (Korean)