The eternal national actor Ahn Sung-ki has left us. He was 74 years old. On the morning of January 5, 2026, Korean time, he reportedly passed away peacefully in the ICU of Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Yongsan, Seoul, surrounded by family.

He had been in a state of cardiac arrest due to a sudden incident during a meal on December 30 of last year and was taken to the hospital, but unfortunately, he never regained consciousness. It is hard to believe that he, who fought against blood cancer since 2019, never gave up acting until the end. At 74, many are still active in their careers, making his absence feel even more profound.

The name Ahn Sung-ki is not just a single actor but represents Korean cinema itself. Born on January 1, 1952, he made his screen debut in 1957 in director Kim Ki-young's film "Twilight Train." The fact that he, as a five-year-old child, starred in over 70 works as a child actor and never left the camera's side as an adult is truly remarkable. After completing his military service and college, he endured both the toughest times and the most vibrant leaps of Korean cinema in the 1980s, becoming the face of Korean film.

From the youth's struggles in "A Good Day for the Wind to Blow," to the deep contemplation in "Mandala," and the free-spirited wandering in "Whale Hunting," Ahn Sung-ki's face naturally comes to mind for those who loved films from that era. His name alone was a mark of credibility in cinema, and there was a time when the phrase "Ahn Sung-ki is in it" would lead people to the theaters. Even in the 1990s, he maintained his presence by moving between completely different films like "The Southern Army" and "Two Cops," and in 2003, he stood at the center of the first ten million viewer era in Korean cinema through "Silmi-do."

The reason people call him a national actor is not just because of his acting skills. He lived his life maintaining the dignity of a filmmaker. He quietly served as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and was a figure who, rather than stepping forward during conflicts in the film industry, quietly held the center.

Even while battling illness, his appearances in wigs at official events, smiling brightly, provided an unexpectedly great comfort to many. Until just before his health worsened in 2024, he spoke about his next project, saying that being on set was the happiest time for him, a born actor.

Now, many characters he portrayed remain alive among us. The simple youth, the tormented intellectual, the kind father, the heavy leader. The faces Ahn Sung-ki acted were the very essence of how Koreans have lived over the past half-century.

His acting was not about flashy techniques but rather genuine emotions that resonated with people, and he was an actor who comforted the times with just a glance. A person who spent nearly 70 of his 74 years with film. It seems that the moment has come for him to lay down that heavy responsibility and rest.

Although his physical body has departed, the name Ahn Sung-ki will continue to live on as long as Korean cinema exists. In his hundreds of films, he will still be laughing, crying, walking, and running, speaking to us.

As he said, "Film was everything in my life," he ultimately remains with us as the embodiment of cinema. The eternal national actor of Korea, Ahn Sung-ki. Thanks to you, Korean cinema has been truly happy.