'Legend of the Blue Sea' actor suddenly passed away, just celebrated 50 years of acting, is there a conspiracy?

The news of veteran actor Choi Jung Woo 's sudden death at the age of 69 has shocked the Korean entertainment industry. According to confirmation from his management company, Choi Jung Woo has passed away.

The cause of death has not yet been announced, but what makes many people more heartbroken is that his health was completely normal before. The late artist's funeral will be held on the morning of May 29 at the Gimpo Woori Hospital funeral home, after which the body will be cremated.

On the morning of May 27, the representative said that the actor was old and had an underlying medical condition. "Mr. Choi had an underlying medical condition. Last year, he suffered from facial nerve paralysis. Due to his old age, his health condition has deteriorated since the beginning of this year."

According to Star News, some sources said that previously, the actor complained of panic disorder and depression.

What makes fans even more heartbroken is that before his death, Choi Jung Woo was still tirelessly dedicating himself to art. He just celebrated his 50th year of acting career earlier this year, and still regularly appeared in TV drama projects. In 2024 - 2025, he participated in the historical drama The Tale of Lady Ok as Park Jun Gi - a scheming official arrested for corruption.

At the same time, he also appeared in Who Is She - a popular TV series, with a small but impressive role. Looking back at the last image of the veteran actor's career, the audience could not help but feel sorry because clearly just a few months ago, he was still very healthy, radiant on the screen, with absolutely no signs of weakness or fatigue.

Many viewers expressed surprise at the sudden passing of actor Choi Jung Woo. "I really liked him in Brilliant Legacy", "Another very familiar face is gone, I hope he rests in peace", "He often played the father of the main characters, many movies have him in them"... are some comments from Asian viewers on forums.

Actor Choi Jung Woo was born in 1957. After more than 20 years in the Korean entertainment industry, the actor has been active in both film, television and stage plays, earning a series of blockbuster films.

Starting his career on stage in 1975, Choi Jung Woo was once the most prominent name in the Korean theater industry in the 1990s. He was even honored as the "Crown Prince of Korean Theater" thanks to his impressive roles and calm, attractive demeanor. His career was interrupted when he decided to go to the US to study film.

However, this decision was not entirely wrong as it complemented the late actor's film career later on. Since the 2000s, when the stage was overshadowed by movies, Choi Jung Woo also began to have famous TV series. With his characteristic appearance, serious and calm demeanor, he was often assigned powerful supporting roles such as prosecutor, police chief, director, etc. Being featured in so many hot works, plus having a unique appearance and acting style, Choi Jung Woo has become a face that everyone remembers, even if they don't know his name.

From City Hunter, 49 Days to The Moon, Doctor Stranger,... Choi Jung Woo is always a name that guarantees the quality of his roles. In 2024, he participated in 3 TV series, including The Tale of Lady Ok, Who Is She as mentioned above and a small role in The Tyrant .

Although he never played the main role, he was always the highlight of the entire work, making it difficult for the audience to forget his face and acting style. Therefore, the sudden departure of Choi Jung Woo was a great shock to both colleagues and fans, an artist who was devoted to his career until the last days of his life.

In addition to television, he has also appeared in numerous films such as The Chaser, Deranged, The Front Line, Grand Prix, and Maundy Thursday. Choi Jung Woo is a model of a persistent, dedicated, and talented actor. His legacy is a collection of hundreds of diverse roles, reflecting the maturity of the Korean film industry over the past half century.

Choi Jung Woo has received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career: Daesang (Grand Prize) at the Seoul Theater Festival in 1990; Best Actor Award at the 36th Dong-A Theater Awards in 1999 for the play Today; Excellence Award nomination for a Miniseries at the 2013 SBS Drama Awards for his role in Master's Sun; Excellence Award nomination for a Daily Drama at the 2021 KBS Drama Awards for his role in Be My Dream Family.

The actor starred in the hit film Legend of the Blue Sea. The film tells a timeless love story between a mermaid named Shim Chung (Jun Ji Hyun) and a genius con man named Heo Joon Jae (Lee Min Ho). The story is interwoven between the Joseon era and the present, when two people with memories of their past lives reunite in the present world.

Choi Jung Woo plays the role of Heo Il Joong, the biological father of the male lead Heo Joon Jae. This is a supporting role but plays an important role in shaping the main character's personality and inner self. Heo Il Joong is a successful businessman, strict, somewhat cold and distant towards his son. After his divorce, he remarried and this made Heo Joon Jae feel abandoned, leaving his family and living as a conman.

The father-son relationship between Heo Il Joong and Joon Jae reflects the vulnerability of family relationships – one of the important sub-themes of the film. Through Choi Jung Woo’s performance, viewers feel the conflict between a rigid father who still worries about his son.

In the following episodes, when he was harmed by his new wife and stepchild, this incident caused Joon Jae to awaken and gradually reconcile with his father - marking an important psychological development of the main character.

His acting was considered subtle and calm, perfectly suited to the character of a wealthy but lonely and distant father. In climax scenes (such as when he was poisoned), Choi Jung Woo expressed his emotions very well with his eyes and expressions with few words - a prominent strength of his.

Although the role of Heo Il Joong does not take up much screen time, it leaves a strong impression and helps develop the psychological depth of the main character.

According to Chosun Biz, Choi Jung Woo was very secretive about his personal life during his lifetime. However, in a program broadcast in October 2024, he shared for the first time about his three ups and downs in his marriages. The actor said that his first marriage was a rush at the age of 30, then ended quickly. His second marriage fell apart because his wife went abroad, and he faced illness alone. His third wife, 11 years younger than him, was Korean of Japanese descent. Although he called her "the best wife", he admitted that the marriage was not smooth because his wife suffered from many psychological problems.

Also on the show, Choi Jung Woo revealed that he suffered from aphasia due to business failures when he was young. Recalling the time he lived in seclusion in the mountains and suffered from heavy psychological pressure, he shared: "The stage helped me stand up. Acting is the path that changed my life." Many sources from Korean media such as Daum and MSN also said that the actor had been battling depression for many years.

Song Hye Kyo "prevails" Song Joong Ki, doing something that her "ex-husband" has not been able to do? Tiểu Trúc20:23:55 11/11/2023Recently, Korean social networks spread the news that Song Hye Kyo had officially prevailed over Song Joong Ki, doing something that her ex-husband could not do, surprising a large audience.