Tributes are pouring in for veteran actor Choi Bool-am, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 87, with President Lee Jae Myung and figures within the industry honoring him as "a warm-hearted father figure" who defined Korean television for nearly seven decades. On Friday, he was posthumously awarded the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest class of cultural honors from the Korean government, recognizing his pivotal contributions to the country's performing arts and public welfare. "We deeply mourn the passing of Choi Bool-am, who stood by the public for generations as the father figure of our time," President Lee wrote on his social media. "Whether playing a justice-seeking detective or a warm father, his image will remain in the hearts of the nation for a long time," Lee added, recalling Choi’s philosophy that "to become a good actor, one must first become a good human being." Choi, whose real name was Choi Young-han, died at around 10:30 p.m., Thursday at a hospital in Gangseo District, Seoul, after his health recently deteriorated. His memorial altar was set up at Asan M