Ahn Sung-ki, one of the country's most beloved actors, widely known for his warm public image and decades-long contributions to Korean cinema, died Monday. He was 74.
He had been receiving treatment in an intensive care unit of a Seoul hospital after collapsing while choking on food at his home Tuesday.
He died at the hospital at around 9 a.m., surrounded by his family, according to the Korea Film Actor's Association.
Ahn, affectionately known as the "Nation's Actor," appeared in approximately 140 films during his career spanning over six decades, which included dramas, action movies and thrillers.
After making his debut as a child actor in "The Twilight Train" in 1957, he went on to build one of the most prolific careers in the Korean film industry. He became a leading actor from the 1980s to the mid-1990s, with popular movies like "Whale Hunting" (1984) and "Our Sweet Days of Youth" (1987).
