Veteran actor Ahn Sung Ki, a towering figure in Korean cinema, is being accompanied on his final journey by fellow actors Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung.
Ahn Sung Ki passed away at the age of 74 at 9 a.m. on January 5, 2026 KST. As mourners continue to pay their respects at the memorial altar set up later that day at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital Funeral Hall, Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung have been keeping vigil alongside the late actor’s two sons, quietly receiving visitors.
Dressed in black suits, the two actors were seen standing their ground with tear-filled eyes, remaining composed despite their grief. Without saying much, they greeted mourners and moved in and out of the funeral hall with the bereaved family, faithfully fulfilling their role until the very end.
Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung shared a long-standing bond with Ahn Sung Ki as junior colleagues in the film industry, showing deep respect and trust both on and off screen during his lifetime. Notably, the two will also serve as pallbearers, personally seeing the late actor off on his final journey.
The funeral hall was filled with condolence wreaths from fellow filmmakers, and the atmosphere remained solemn and subdued. Mourners expressed their sorrow, saying “Ahn Sung Ki was the face and spirit of Korean cinema” and “The way his juniors are standing by him shows just how deeply respected he was.”
Ahn Sung Ki’s funeral is being held as a film industry funeral, jointly organized by the Shin Young Kyun Arts & Culture Foundation and the Korea Film Actors Association. Shin Young Kyun serves as honorary funeral chairman, with director Bae Chang Ho, Korea Film Actors Association chairman Lee Gap Sung, Shin Young Kyun Arts & Culture Foundation acting director Shin Eon Sik, and Korea Film Association chairman Yang Yun Ho acting as co-chairs of the funeral committee.
The sight of Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung quietly keeping watch at the memorial altar poignantly reflects the deep solidarity and respect shared among filmmakers of the same era. Through their silent farewell, Ahn Sung Ki’s name and legacy are once again etched into the history of Korean cinema.
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