# 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.
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.

## Early life

Byun In-chul was born in Sinchang Village, Sinpyeong-ri, Buk-myeon, Jangseong County, South Jeolla Province.
He attended Salesian High School in Gwangju. He took up law at Chosun University before dropping out to pursue acting.

## Career

Byun entered the MBC actor's auditions in 1965, and made his acting debut in 1970. A year later in 1971, he became a regular on the landmark police procedural Chief Inspector. At the time of his debut, he used his real name, Byeon In-cheol, but in 1977, in an attempt to improve his image as a villain, he used the stage name Byun Hee-bong.
Throughout the 1970s, he became known on TV as a character actor who played eccentric men who didn't quite fit in with mainstream Korean society. He transitioned to the big screen in the 1980s, and earlier in his film career, starred in the classic Lee Doo-yong film Eunuch (1986) and A Surrogate Father (1993).
In 2000, Byun appeared in a memorable supporting role in Bong Joon-ho's directorial debut Barking Dogs Never Bite, playing a bizarre apartment maintenance man with a love for dog meat. It rejuvenated his career, and Bong would later cast him in the short film Sink & Rise (2004), and his seminal works crime drama Memories of Murder (2003) and monster movie The Host (2006). The Host became the top-grossing Korean film of all time, and Byun won much acclaim for his performance as the strong-willed patriarch of a "loser" family, including Best Supporting Actor awards at the Asia Pacific Film Festival and Blue Dragon Film Awards.
Among Byun's other notable roles were in martial arts fantasy Volcano High (2001), rural dramedy My Teacher, Mr. Kim (2003), horror comedy To Catch a Virgin Ghost (2004), body swap thriller The Devil's Game (2008), and espionage film The Spies (2012). Byun was also known for being active in television, with his portrayals of endearing, humorous fathers/grandfathers, or stern, cunning professionals.

## Death

Byun died from complications of pancreatic cancer in Seoul on 18 September 2023, at the age of 81.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1980 | Dull Servant Pal Bul-chul | |
| 1983 | Hotel at 00:00 | |
| 1985 | A Man With Color | |
| 1986 | Eunuch | |
| 1986 | No Woman Is Afraid of the Night | |
| 1988 | We Are Going to Geneva Now | |
| 1988 | Karma | |
| 1988 | The World of Women | |
| 1993 | A Surrogate Father | |
| 2000 | Barking Dogs Never Bite | apartment maintenance man |
| 2001 | Volcano High | Vice principal Jang Hak-sa |
| 2003 | Scent of Love | |
| 2003 | My Teacher, Mr. Kim | Old Choi |
| 2003 | Memories of Murder | Sergent Koo Hee-bong |
| 2003 | Spring Breeze | Writer Noh |
| 2004 | Au Revoir, UFO | real estate agent |
| 2004 | To Catch a Virgin Ghost | |
| 2004 | Lovely Rivals | Principal Byun In-chul |
| 2004 | Sink & Rise (short film) | |
| 2005 | Another Public Enemy | Byun Hee-bong |
| 2005 | Crying Fist | Sang-hwan's coach |
| 2005 | Detective Mr. Gong | Gong Pil-doo's father |
| 2006 | The Host | Park Hee-bong |
| 2006 | Mission Sex Control | Mr. Kang |
| 2007 | Small Town Rivals | CEO Baek |
| 2008 | The Devil's Game | Kang No-shik |
| 2009 | Lifting King Kong | school superintendent |
| 2009 | Searching for the Elephant | zoo official (cameo) |
| 2010 | Haunters | Jung-shik |
| 2011 | In Love and War | Village leader |
| 2012 | I Am the King | Shin Ik-yeok |
| 2012 | The Spies | Adviser Yoon |
| 2013 | Mr. Go | Weiwei's grandfather (cameo) |
| 2017 | Okja | Hee-bong |
| 2019 | By Quantum Physics: A Nightlife Venture | Baek Young-Kam |

### Television

Television series appearances :
| Year | Title | Title | Role |
| Year | English | Korean | Role |
| 1970 | 101 Hong Kong | 홍콩 101번지 | bit part |
| 1971 | Chief Inspector | 수사반장 | bit part |
| 1973 | 113 Investigation Division | 113 수사본부 | bit part |
| 1976 | Wealthy Merchant Im Sang-ok | 거상 임상옥 | bit part |
| 1978 | Government | 정부인 | bit part |
| 1979 | Season of Love | 사랑의 계절 | bit part |
| 1979 | Last Witness | 최후의 증인 | bit part |
| 1979 | Anguk-dong Madam | 안국동 아씨 | bit part |
| 1980 | The End of the Line | 종점 | bit part |
| 1980 | Power Diary | 전원일기 | Various minor roles other than Hyeran's father |
| 1981 | New Madam | 새아씨 | |
| 1981 | 1st Republic | 제1공화국 | Ahn Jae-hong |
| 1982 | Market People | 시장사람들 | |
| 1983 | Trade King Choi Bong-joon | 무역왕 최봉준 | |
| 1983 | Sunflower in Winter | 겨울 해바라기 | |
| 1983 | Five Hundred Years of the Joseon Dynasty – "The King of Chudong Palace" | 조선왕조 오백년 – 추동궁 마마 | Nam Eun |
| 1983 | 3840 Shortstop | 3840 유격대 | |
| 1984 | Five Hundred Years of the Joseon Dynasty – "The Ume Tree in the Midst of the Snow" | 조선왕조 오백년 – 설중매 | Yu Jagwang |
| 1984 | Governor-General of Korea | 조선총독부 | Lee Wan-yong |
| 1984 | Chusa Kim Jung-hee | 추사 김정희 | |
| 1985 | Wild Orchid | 풍란 (드라마) | Yu Jagwang |
| 1985 | White-haired Youth | 백발의 청춘 | |
| 1985 | The Season of Men | 남자의 계절 | Kim Joong-han |
| 1986 | Five Hundred Years of the Joseon Dynasty – "Hoecheonmun" | 조선왕조 오백년 – 회천문 | Choe Myeong-gil |
| 1986 | Five Hundred Years of the Joseon Dynasty – "Namhan Mountain Castle" | 조선왕조 오백년 – 남한산성 | Choe Myeong-gil |
| 1987 | Beautiful Secret Love Affair | 아름다운 밀회 | President Jang |
| 1988 | Three Women | 세 여인 | |
| 1988 | Five Hundred Years of the Joseon Dynasty – "The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong" | 조선왕조 오백년 – 한중록 | Park Mun-su |
| 1988 | Our Town | 우리 읍내 | Nam Dae-chun |
| 1989 | The 2nd Republic | 제2공화국 | |
| 1989 | The Fifth Row | 제5열 | Jo Geum-san |
| 1989 | Legacy | 유산 | Lawyer Hwang |
| 1990 | Daewongun | 대원군 (1990년 드라마) | Hong Soon- mok |
| 1990 | Anti-People Special Committee | 반민특위 (드라마) | Choi Un- ha |
| 1990 | The Handmaid and Gainae | 머슴아와 가이내 | |
| 1991 | Eyes of Dawn | 여명의 눈동자 | Park Choon-geum |
| 1991 | Three Day Promise | 3일의 약속 | |
| 1991 | We're Middle Class | 우리는 중산층 | Patriarch Park |
| 1993 | For The Poet | 시인을 위하여 | |
| 1993 | The 3rd Republic | | Hyun Seok-ho |
| 1993 | MBC Best Theater – "Soon-dal and Byung-gu and Ok-joo" | | Byung-gu's father |
| 1993 | Moonlight Hometown | 달빛 고향 | |
| 1994 | Close One Eye | 한쪽 눈을 감아요 | |
| 1995 | Relationship Is | 인연이란 | |
| 1995 | Seoul Nightsangok | 서울 야상곡 | |
| 1995 | Asphalt Man | | |
| 1995 | Glorious Dawn | | Heungseon Daewongun |
| 1996 | Halt | 간이역 | |
| 1996 | Tears of the Dragon | | |
| 1997 | Desire | | Yoon-seok |
| 1997 | Scamper | 질주 | |
| 1998 | Love and Success | | |
| 1998 | The King's Path | | |
| 1998 | Legend of Ambition | | |
| 1999 | Hur Jun | | Sung In-chul |
| 2000 | Mokminsimseo | | 서용보 |
| 2000 | Secret | | Chan-shik |
| 2000 | Foolish Princes | | Yeo Jae-man |
| 2002 | The Dawn of the Empire | | Kim Geun-ryul |
| 2002 | Lovers | | Gong Hee-bong (cameo) |
| 2003 | Something About 1% | | Lee Kyu-chul |
| 2003 | Drama City – "The Truth About Wormwood and Garlic" | 쑥과 마늘에 관한 진실 | principal |
| 2003 | Damo | | |
| 2004 | Good Morning Confucius | 굿모닝 공자 | Go Dok-han |
| 2004 | New Human Market | | Oh Jong-doo |
| 2004 | Choice | | |
| 2004 | A Second Proposal | | |
| 2005 | Green Rose | | Prosecutor Jung |
| 2005 | My Girl | | Seol Woong |
| 2005 | Drama City – "Gyeryongsan Buyong" | 계룡산 부용이 | Sabu |
| 2006 | Great Inheritance | | Jung Il-do |
| 2006 | Wolf | | Senator Yoon Gab-soo |
| 2007 | Behind the White Tower | | Oh Kyung-hwan |
| 2007 | Witch Yoo Hee | | Ma Yoon-hoon |
| 2009 | My Too Perfect Sons | | Song Shi-yeol |
| 2010 | Master of Study | | Cha Ki-bong |
| 2010 | My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho | | Cha Poong |
| 2010 | The President | | Go Sang-ryul |
| 2011 | Glory Jane | | Old man Hwang (cameo) |
| 2012 | Ohlala Couple | | Wolha, matchmaker of fate |
| 2013 | Princess Aurora | | Oh Dae-san |
| 2013 | Goddess of Fire | | Moon Sa-seung |
| 2014 | Flower Grandpa Investigation Unit | | Han Won-bin |
| 2014 | Drama Festival – "Lump in My Life" | | Pan-shik |
| 2014 | Pinocchio | | Choi Gong-pil |
| 2015 | Save the Family | | Jung Soo-bong |
| 2016 | Madame Antoine: The Love Therapist | | President Kim |
| 2016 | Blow Breeze | | Kim Deok-cheon |
| 2019 | My Lawyer, Mr. Jo 2: Crime and Punishment | | Kook Hyun-il |

## Theater

| Year | Title | Title | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| 2013 | Snow of March | 3월의 눈 | Jang-oh | National Theatre Company Baek Sung-jang Min-ho Theatre | March 1–23 | |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1982 | MBC Drama Awards | | | Won |
| 1985 | Hankook Ilbo | Popularity Award | The Ume Tree in the Midst of the Snow | Won |
| 1985 | 21st Baeksang Arts Awards | Most Popular Actor (TV) | The Ume Tree in the Midst of the Snow | Won |
| 1986 | JoongAng Ilbo | Our Star Award | The Ume Tree in the Midst of the Snow | Won |
| 2003 | 2nd Korean Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | My Teacher, Mr. Kim | Nominated |
| 2004 | KBS Drama Awards | Best Actor in a One-Act Drama/Special | My Teacher, Mr. Kim | Won |
| 2006 | 51st Asia Pacific Film Festival | Best Supporting Actor | The Host | Won |
| 2006 | 27th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Host | Won |
| 2006 | 9th Director's Cut Awards | Performer of the Year (ensemble cast) | The Host | Won |
| 2007 | 43rd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | The Host | Nominated |
| 2007 | 44th Grand Bell Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Host | Nominated |
| 2007 | 4th Best Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Host | Won |
| 2008 | 44th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | The Devil's Game | Nominated |
| 2009 | KMDb Choiwos Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Devil's Game | Won |
| 2010 | KBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Master of Study | Nominated |
| 2014 | MBC Drama Awards | Best Actor in a One-Act/Short Drama | Lump in My Life | Won |

### State honors

List of State Honour(s) :
| State | Award Ceremony | Year | Honor | Ref. |
| South Korea | Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards | 2020 | Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit | |