'Korea's Gregory Peck' Namgung Won Passes Away at Age 90

Popular in the 60s-70s... Appeared in Over 300 Films

Namgung Won (real name Hong Kyung-il), a film actor known as the "Gregory Peck of Korea," passed away on the 5th at the age of 90.

According to Seoul Asan Medical Center, Namgung Won passed away at this hospital around 4 p.m. on the day. The bereaved family stated that he had been battling lung cancer for several years and his health condition had not been good.

The funeral hall is at Seoul Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, with the funeral procession scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on the 8th, and the burial site is Gwangneung Memorial Park in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. According to the deceased's wishes, the funeral will be a private family ceremony, and the family has announced that they will not accept floral tributes or condolence money.

Movie actor Namgung Won [Photo by Asia Economy DB]

Born in 1934 in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, he entered the film industry while attending Hanyang University majoring in Chemical Engineering. Initially, he had no intention of becoming an entertainer, but when his mother fell ill and faced difficulties while he was preparing to study abroad, he stepped into the film industry.

He made his screen debut in 1959 with the film "If That Night Comes Again." Over his career, he appeared in 345 films, with his last known work being "Ae" in 1999. His major works include "Sisters' Garden" (1959), "Red Scarf" (1964), "The Eunuch" (1968), "The Housemaid" (1971), "I Love Mama" (1975), "Membrane" (1980), and "The Man with a Chest" (1993).

He also showed interest in theater, performing on stage in the early 1960s in productions such as "Romeo and Juliet," "Resurrection," and "Doctor Zhivago." As a representative handsome actor, he appeared in numerous TV commercials, including "Aronamin Gold" (Ildong Pharmaceutical) and "Family Juice" (Haitai), gaining public recognition.

During his main active period in the 1960s and 1970s, he received several awards including the Best Supporting Actor at the Buil Film Awards, Popular Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, and Best Actor at the Grand Bell Awards. In 2016, he was awarded the Silver Crown Order of Cultural Merit. Additionally, he served as president of the Korean Film Actors Association, president of the Korean Film Actors Guild, and honorary chairman of Harold.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.