Remembering Kim Il-woo: 21 Years Since His Passing

It has been 21 years since the passing of actor 김일우 (Kim Il-woo). A graduate of Seoul Institute of the Arts, he made his acting debut in 1976 with the play '춘풍의 처' (The Woman of Choonpung). Initially working as a production assistant, he transitioned to film in 1980 after being recommended by actor 안성기 (Ahn Sung-ki) for the movie '어둠의 자식들' (Children of Darkness).

Kim gained recognition for his role in '학생부군신위' (The Student Council) which earned him the Best Supporting Actor award at the 34th Daejong Film Awards, and he also won a Best Supporting Actor award at the 1997 Asia-Pacific Film Festival. His popularity soared in 2001 with the hit film '엽기적인 그녀' (My Sassy Girl), where he played a role that provided comic relief as one of five quintuplets.

Throughout his career, he showcased his talent in various films including the '투캅스' (Two Cops) series, '인정사정 볼 것 없다' (No Mercy for the Rude), '화산고' (Volcano High), '일단 뛰어' (Run First), and '목포는 항구다' (Mokpo, The Harbor). In addition to his film work, he was the head of the theater company '현빈' (Hyunbin) and continued to perform on stage.

Kim Il-woo was married to actress 이용이 (Lee Yong-hee), who is the sister of actor 이대근 (Lee Dae-geun). The couple had a son and a daughter together. Tragically, during the filming of '목포는 항구다', he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. After battling the illness, he passed away on June 13, 2004, at the age of 52.

Though over two decades have passed since his departure, the passion for acting that he left behind continues to resonate.