
Korean veteran actor Byun Hee-bong (real name Byun In-chul) passed away on September 18, 2023, at the age of 81.
According to his bereaved family, the actor passed away earlier in the day after battling a recurrence of pancreatic cancer, which he had previously been declared cured of.
He had a close relationship with director Bong Joon-ho. He appeared in the movie “Barking Dogs Never Bite” (2000), which was selected by Dir. Bong, and later acted in “Memories of Murder” (2003), “The Host” (2006), and “Okja” (2017), which left an irreplaceable impression on the audience.
After traveling to Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for the film ‘Okja’, Byun Hee-bong said, “I felt like a flower blossoming on an old tree in 70 degrees.”