While watching the news, I came across the report that Patrick Stewart, famous for his roles as X-Men and the captain of Star Trek, has passed away at the age of 86.

Then I saw on Korean news that this time, Mr. Choi Bool-am has also passed away at the age of 87.

It felt quite strange to me. It was news that two actors I admired had left this world around the same time.

Speaking of Mr. Choi Bool-am, do you remember the Choi Bool-am series?

If you do, you are likely at least in your mid-40s.

In the 1990s, the Choi Bool-am series was a huge trend in Korea.

It was something we did at school, in the military, and during drinking parties. Looking back, it wasn't that funny, but at the time, people laughed until they cried.

The key was mimicking Mr. Choi Bool-am's serious expression and slow speech.

Thinking back, he was a detective catching criminals in "Suspect Investigation Team" and a stern family elder in "Country Diary".

I have faint memories of watching "Suspect Investigation Team" during my childhood in Korea. Back then, there weren't many television channels.

When it was time for "Suspect Investigation Team" to start, we all gathered at home to watch it. I remember feeling tense as the opening music played, as if something big was about to happen.

The character Park Young-han, played by Mr. Choi Bool-am, was very different from the detectives in today's American crime dramas.

He was not the type to shoot guns recklessly or engage in car chases.

He was a detective who listened to the suspect sitting in front of him and tried to understand the circumstances of their lives.

As a child, I watched it just for fun, but looking back, it was a well-made drama.

And then there was "Country Diary." This drama ran for a really long time. It started in 1980 and aired until 2002.

It is an unforgettable drama when I talk about my memories of living in Korea. Even though I watched it occasionally, I get emotional when I see clips on YouTube.

The character Kim, played by Mr. Choi Bool-am, was a typical figure of my father's generation.

He rarely spoke, didn't smile much, and when something happened in the family, he would say something heavy.

"Country Diary" didn't feature chaebols like today's dramas, nor did it have anyone seeking revenge in a frenzy.

It was about farming, eating, worrying about children, and stories of fighting and reconciling with neighbors.

I wonder how many people would watch such a drama if it were made on Netflix today.

As time passed and I moved to America, I grew fond of Patrick Stewart while watching Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Whenever there was a problem, the captain would first engage in conversation. He listened to his crew's opinions, assessed the situation, and ultimately took responsibility.

And that voice. Patrick Stewart's deep voice saying, "Make it so."

Later, I was delighted to see him again in X-Men.

This time, he played Professor Charles Xavier in a wheelchair.

He was an elderly man without a single hair, teaching and protecting young people with superpowers, and I thought he fit that role very well.

I remember the scenes where he confronted Magneto. One wanted to change the world through power, while the other believed that humans and mutants could coexist.

Yet both had their reasons. So X-Men was more than just a movie about superheroes fighting; it was interesting on a deeper level.

Especially the 2017 film Logan left me feeling a bit heavy after watching it.

It depicted the once-powerful Professor Xavier as old and sick, needing help from others.

Though it's a story in a movie, it made me realize that Patrick Stewart himself is also aging.

The actor I once thought was just cool has suddenly become an old man.

When I asked if he was on medication, he made a heartbreaking gesture, sticking out his tongue like a child.

Hearing the news of his passing brought that movie back to my mind.

Interestingly, both Mr. Choi Bool-am and Patrick Stewart remain similar images in my mind.

One was a family elder in rural Korea, and the other was a spaceship captain.

Chairman Kim led his family, while Captain Picard led the crew of the Enterprise.

If I go on YouTube, I can easily find old clips of "Suspect Investigation Team" and scenes from "Country Diary."

Star Trek is also available to watch again if I set my mind to it.

However, strangely, when I revisit old works, I first think of my own self from that time rather than the actors.

Back then, it felt like both Mr. Choi Bool-am and Patrick Stewart would be on television forever.

I didn't really think about actors aging.

But before I knew it, I have grown older, and they have passed away in their late 80s.

This is what it feels like to age.

As singers and actors I loved in my youth disappear one by one, I feel a little bit of my own past slipping away each time I hear such news.

Both of them could be said to have lived long enough. At 86 and 87, it's not a short life.

Still, the feeling of loss is unavoidable.

I offer my condolences to the deceased.