Ahn Sung-Ki, Dubbed ‘The Nation’s Actor’, Dead at 74

Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki has died. He was 74.

Dubbed “the nation’s actor” for his prolific six-decade career, he’s one of South Korea’s most famous faces. He battled blood cancer for years before ultimately passing away at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul yesterday, according to a statement from his talent agency.

Over the course of his career, Ahn starred in over 130 movies.

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He got his acting start at just six years old in the 1957 film Twilight Train. He starred in several major Korean hits throughout the years—including A Fine, Windy Day, which won him the award for Best New Actor at the Grand Bell Awards, the South Korean equivalent of the Academy Awards.

Ahn is best-known to Americans for starring in Mandala, Im Kwon-taek’s legendary 1981 period drama about two Buddhist monks that is still regarded as one of the best South Korean films of all time.

South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, posted a statement on Facebook honoring Ahn’s legacy and expressed his “deepest condolences” over his death.

“[He] left a big footprint on Korean film history and cultural arts… I salute the life of a teacher who showed humility over glamour and class over competition. I firmly believe that you will stay with us with unchanging touch and echo even after the years,” Lee wrote. “I already miss your warm smile and gentle voice. I pray with all my heart that you rest in peace.”

He is survived by his wife and two sons.