Park Joong-hoon Releases First Essay Collection, Heartbroken Over Ahn Sung-ki's Health

Veteran actor Park Joong-hoon, marking his 40th year in the film industry, has released his first essay collection, 'Don't Regret It,' garnering significant attention.

A press conference for the book launch was held on the 4th at the Jeongdong 1928 Art Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. At the event, Park Joong-hoon appeared not as an actor, but as an author, sharing sincere stories about his book and recent life with pianist and writer Moon Ah-ram.

Debuting in the 1986 film 'Temptation,' Park Joong-hoon is approaching his 40th anniversary. His essay collection, 'Don't Regret It,' published on the 29th, reflects on the joys and sorrows of his four-decade acting career and his life as Park Joong-hoon.

Park Joong-hoon revealed that he was inspired to write the book by his junior actor Cha In-pyo. However, he expressed deep longing for his mentor in the film industry, Ahn Sung-ki. "You can't hide things. To be honest, I haven't seen Senior Ahn in over a year. His health is quite poor," he confessed with evident sadness.

Ahn Sung-ki, who had previously battled and recovered from blood cancer, is reportedly undergoing treatment again after a relapse. Park Joong-hoon shared, "He's not in a condition to talk or text personally, so I've been checking in with his family. Although I speak calmly, I am incredibly sad. He is like a respected teacher and mentor with whom I've made four films over 40 years, and it breaks my heart that he may not be able to fully experience the release of my book."

Reflecting on their collaborations, Park Joong-hoon recalled their four iconic films together – 'Chilsu and Mansu,' 'Two Cops,' 'Nowhere to Hide,' and 'Radio Star' – as representative works for both of them. He fondly remembered the synergy they shared, focusing on how to best respond to each other's performances.

Finally, Park Joong-hoon expressed his hope to hear the simple phrase, "I enjoyed reading it," for his essay. He conveyed his sincere wish that the heartfelt writing would resonate with readers.

Netizens have flooded social media with messages of support for Park Joong-hoon's essay release, with many sending well wishes for Ahn Sung-ki's health. Comments like "Author Park Joong-hoon, we support you! We'll enjoy reading the book," and "Senior Ahn Sung-ki, we sincerely hope you recover and return to active work" are common.