Ahn Sung-ki

About

South Korean actor internationally acclaimed as one of the country's most revered and established performers. He is widely recognized as "The Nation's Actor," in honor of the significant impact he has made on Korean cinema over the course of his prolific career spanning more than six decades. Since his introduction to the entertainment industry, he has appeared in over 170 films, earning acclaim for his versatility appearing across drama, action, history, and countless other genres.

Before fame

He made his acting debut when he was only five years old in the 1957 film The Twilight Train. He took a brief hiatus from the industry in his youth; however, he returned upon adulthood before rising to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s.

Trivia

He received numerous accolades over the course of his career, including several Baeksang Arts Awards, multiple Grand Bell Awards, and a multitude of honors from the Korean Association of Film Critics' Awards. 

Family life

He married sculptor and university professor Oh So-yeong in 1985 and they went on to become the parents of two sons together. He tragically passed away at the age of 74 on January 5, 2026, following a long battle with blood cancer.

Associated with

In 1982, he won a Best Film Actor Award at the Baeksang Arts Awards in Im Kwon-taek's critically revered motion picture Mandala, which has been widely regarded as one of the best domestic films in history.