Byeon Hee-bong
Star of Korean cult film “The Host” is dead
Byun Hee-bong (1942-2023) in the Netflix film “Okja”.
© imago/ZUMA Wire
He made a name for himself through films by Bong Joon-ho (“The Host”): Korean actor Byeon Hee-bong is dead.
Byeon Hee-bong is dead. The South Korean actor died on September 19, 2023. The actor died as a result of pancreatic cancer. This reports “Variety”, among others, with reference to Korean media reports. Byeon Hee-bong was 81 years old.
Byeon Hee-bong was best known in films by “Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho (54). Byeon appeared in four of the internationally acclaimed filmmaker’s films, including his feature debut “Dogs That Bark Don’t Bite.” The 2000 comedy was also the actor’s first major film.
From “The Host to “Okja”: Collaboration with Bong Joon-ho
Byeon and Bong subsequently made the crime drama “Memories of Murder” (2003) and “The Host” in 2006. With the monster film, Korean cinema finally entered the Western mainstream. Byeon Hee-bong won the Blue Dragon Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for the horror satire. Byeon was also in Bong Joon-ho’s international Netflix film “Okja” (2017) with, among others, Jake Gyllenhaal (42) and Tilda Swinton (62).
Byeon Hee-bong had already made a name for himself before his late film career. After his first experiences in the theater, he played in various TV series from 1970 onwards. The character actor specialized in eccentric characters. In 2020, Byeon Hee-bong was awarded the Eungwan Order, the second highest state award for cultural merit in South Korea.