Byun Hee-bong
Byun Hee-bong (Korean: 변희봉; born Byun In-chul; 8 June 1942 – 18 September 2023) was a South Korean film, television and voice actor. In 1963, he embarked on his voice acting career by making his debut in the first season of DBS Donga Broadcasting. He further expanded his experience by joining the second season of MBC Culture Broadcasting in 1965.
Byun Hee-bong | |
|---|---|
Byun in 2017 | |
| Born | Byun In-chul 8 June 1942 Jangseong County, Zenranan-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan (now South Jeolla Province, South Korea) |
| Died | 18 September 2023 (aged 81) Seoul, South Korea |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1970–2019 |
| Honours | Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit (2020) |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 변희봉 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Byeon Hui-bong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Pyŏn Hŭibong |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | 변인철 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Byeon In-cheol |
| McCune–Reischauer | Pyŏn In-chŏl |
Making his acting debut in 1970, he was known as director Bong Joon-ho's personal favorite actor, and his performances in the director's films have sparked a fresh wave of recognition for his unique contributions as a supporting actor. He appeared in four of Bong Joon-ho's feature films. In Barking Dogs Never Bite, he portrayed a peculiar apartment security guard with a deep affinity for bone soup. In Memories of Murder, he took on the role of a local detective chief, while in The Host, he captivated audiences as Park Hee-bong, the grandfather of the film's protagonist's family. For this role, Byun also won several awards, including the 27th Blue Dragon Film Awards for best supporting actor. In Okja, Byun made a special appearance as Joo Hee-bong.