85-Year-Old Choi Bool-am Returns to Broadcasting After a Year, and Here's Why His Juniors Are in Tears

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The Legendary Actor Choi Bul-am Returns to the Airwaves

At the age of 85, Choi Bul-am stands before the camera once again after nearly a year away. His comeback is not merely a ‘status update’ but a powerful signal that the era-defining actor and host’s journey is beginning to move forward once more.

In April 2025, Choi stepped down from KBS1’s “Korean Table,” a show he had led for 14 years. Following surgery for a herniated disc, his mobility became limited, making long hours of filming and hosting increasingly difficult. With his familiar voice and presence disappearing from the screen, many viewers grew concerned for his health, quietly wondering if it was finally time for him to rest.

Yet, here he is again, appearing through MBC YouTube channel’s special two-part documentary for Family Month, “Paha, This Is Choi Bul-am.” His gaunt appearance in the footage stirs deep emotions, and the tears shared by younger actors alongside him remind us that his absence was not just a hiatus, but a period of endurance.

The significance of this return is clear. Rather than a “full-scale comeback,” Choi Bul-am’s reappearance marks a moment of reflection and record, a chance for him to gracefully close the chapter on his broadcasting life and reconnect with his audience. Having spent so many years sharing life’s stories over the table, it is profoundly moving to see him now stepping into the spotlight to share his own story.

The Reason Choi Bul-am Left Broadcasting: The Story Behind His Herniated Disc Surgery

When Choi Bul-am suddenly stepped down from “Korean Table,” a show he had been by viewers’ side for 14 years, many asked the same question: “What happened to his health?”

According to reports, after undergoing herniated disc surgery, Choi Bul-am experienced mobility difficulties, making it hard to continue long hours of filming and on-site hosting. Unlike simple studio recordings, “Korean Table” requires traveling across the country to meet people and follow their food journeys, which demands significant physical stamina. Ultimately, due to health reasons, he had no choice but to step down from hosting.

This hiatus was less of a “short break” and more of a decision to listen to his body’s signals and prioritize recovery. As a result, the later released footage showed a noticeably gaunt appearance, raising concerns and hinting that the burden and recovery process had been anything but easy.

Choi Bool-am’s Emaciated Appearance and His Juniors' Tears in the Documentary

The sight of Choi Bool-am, an old friend and senior whose changed appearance moved his juniors to tears, leaves a profound impression even beyond the screen. In MBC’s YouTube channel family month special documentary, “Paha, This is Choi Bool-am,” he made a welcome return, but it was his noticeably emaciated face that first captured attention.

What makes this moment especially poignant is that the change reflects not just his outward appearance, but the weight of the time he has endured. Since undergoing surgery for a herniated disc, Choi Bool-am’s mobility has worsened, forcing him to step down from “Korean Table,” a program he faithfully guarded for 14 years. While viewers may have seen it as the end of a show, for him it meant that “delivering greetings in person every week at filming sites” had become an immense challenge.

Perhaps that’s why the moment in the documentary when his juniors confront him with tears is anything but exaggerated drama—it feels like a genuine response to the absence and hardship of a senior who has carried an era on his shoulders. Their tears express not just worry, but a blend of deep respect, relief, and apology directed at Choi Bool-am as he returns before the camera once again.

Ultimately, the question this documentary poses is not “Why has he changed so much?” but rather, “Why has he returned despite everything?” Behind his altered appearance lies the reality of his health, and behind that reality stands his sense of responsibility and life attitude, which drives him to face viewers again. Thus, this comeback is not just a simple appearance; it becomes a moment that reaffirms the path walked by the name Choi Bool-am.

Reflecting on Life and Broadcasting Career: The Genuine Heart of Choi Bool-am Revealed in ‘Paha, This is Choi Bool-am’

‘Paha, This is Choi Bool-am’ is more than just a comeback announcement. It is a two-part documentary that directly captures Choi Bool-am’s life and broadcasting philosophy, quietly unveiling the true heart and attitude behind the familiar face of “host Choi Bool-am.”

Especially since he stepped down from ‘Korean Table,’ a show he had faithfully hosted for 14 years due to health issues, and reemerged after about a year-long hiatus, the figure on screen holds viewers’ attention with a more gaunt appearance than before. The tears shed by junior actors who appeared alongside him reveal just how profound and weighty that period truly was.

What makes this documentary remarkable is its focus on “how he lived” rather than “what he did.” It encompasses Choi Bool-am’s reflections on the responsibilities of broadcasting, his approach to people, and the weight of enduring time—ultimately prompting us to reconsider not only the retrospective of one individual but also the attitude of a generation of broadcasters.

Choi Bul-am’s New Beginning: The Message Left by His Return to Broadcasting

The step taken by someone who has endured hardship and risen again offers comfort greater than words. This was especially true when 85-year-old Choi Bul-am reappeared after about a year’s hiatus in MBC’s YouTube channel’s Family Month special documentary, “Paha, This is Choi Bul-am.” It wasn’t just a simple announcement of his appearance, but a “comeback” that fully conveyed the time he had endured.

The reason he stepped down from “Korean Table,” a program he had been part of for 14 years, was due to the harsh reality of difficulty moving after spinal disc surgery. Leaving a position that had been familiar for so long is difficult for anyone, and when your body won’t cooperate, the mental burden grows even heavier. Yet Choi Bul-am did not stop there. After the time he needed to rest, choosing to stand in front of the camera again felt like a quiet declaration that “I can still do this.”

His gaunt appearance in the video touched many hearts deeply. The scene where younger actors were brought to tears upon seeing him speaks not just to his health struggles but to the profound impact and presence he has had throughout his journey. At the same time, this return is not a flashy revival but more of a process of accepting life as it is and finding new meaning within it.

The message left by Choi Bul-am’s return to broadcasting is clear: You don’t have to restart only when you’re perfectly ready, and even if your pace slows, as long as you don’t lose your direction, it’s okay. Everyone goes through moments of pause and uncertainty in life, but enduring those times opens a small door to continue on. For these reasons, his comeback is more than just an emotional moment—it becomes a beacon of hope that helps each of us rebuild our own today.