Actor Choi Jeong-woo has suddenly passed away. At age 68.
The agency Bless ENT announced on the 27th that “Actor Choi Jeong-woo has passed away today. The exact cause of death has not been confirmed yet.” Some media reported that he was suffering from a chronic disease, but the agency immediately denied it, stating, “He had no chronic disease. We don’t know why such reports are coming out.”
Choi Jeong-woo’s funeral hall is set up in Room 5 of Gimpo Woori Hospital Funeral Home. The funeral is set for the 29th at 10 AM, and the burial site is Yeonhwajang in Suwon. The list of chief mourners includes his third wife and brother-in-law, and they are greeting mourners quietly amidst their grief.
The deceased has shared painful personal stories of three marriages and two divorces. Appearing on MBN’s entertainment show ‘Dongchimi’ last October, Choi Jeong-woo revealed the shocking fact that his first wife registered their marriage without his knowledge, and his second marriage followed his parents’ wishes but ended in divorce. He recalled, “After the second divorce, I handed over all the assets” and added that his current wife is a Japanese-Korean 11 years younger.
Born in 1957, Choi Jeong-woo debuted in 1975 with the play ‘Life of an Actor’. He expanded his acting career by also working as a voice actor in the 1980s. He has left a deep impression as a mid-level actor in works such as OCN’s ‘Quiz of God’, SBS’s ‘Doctor Stranger’, ‘The Legend of the Blue Sea’, movies ‘The Front Line’, ‘The Witch’, ‘Confidential Assignment’, and ‘The Moon’ among others.
He has also been actively working recently. Earlier this year, he appeared in KBS2’s ‘Suspicious Couple’ and JTBC’s ‘Miss Ok’s Epic’ showing strong presence. From heavy characters to comical roles, he showcased acting that spanned generations, earning him the expression ‘an actor you can trust and watch’.
Choi Jeong-woo had expressed having panic disorder and feelings of depression during his lifetime, and his health worsened last year due to facial paralysis. However, his passion for acting never faded, and he was an actor who always provided warm advice and support to his juniors.
The news of his passing has deeply saddened the entertainment industry. Colleagues and fans are expressing condolences and remembering the deceased through SNS. A broadcasting official stated, “He was always cheerful and caring. He will be remembered as a splendid actor till the end.”
