According to News1 on 12/8, Ahn Pan Seok passed away after a period of treatment for a cerebral hemorrhage. His funeral is expected to be held at Seoul National University Hospital Funeral Hall.
Ahn Pan Seok's death occurred approximately two months before "Love Doctor", his final work starring Kim So Hyun and Choo Young Woo, is set to air on Genie TV and ENA. Information about the director's health condition was disclosed in late July, as he prepared to launch the project.
The director was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2025. During his treatment, he continued working and focused on completing his new film. Subsequently, a cerebral hemorrhage severely deteriorated his health.
Ahn Pan Seok joined MBC as a producer in the drama department in 1987. Throughout his career, he directed many notable works, including "Behind the White Tower", "A Wife's Credentials", "The Scandal", "Graduation", and "The Art of Negotiation".
His romantic dramas, such as "Something in the Rain", "One Spring Night", and "Secret Love Affair", led the media to call Ahn Pan Seok a "master of Korean romance dramas". He received the Best Director award in the Television category at the Baeksang Arts Awards twice: for "Behind the White Tower" in 2007 and "Secret Love Affair" in 2014.
 |
Director Ahn Pan Seok during a script reading with the crew of "Graduation" in 2023. Photo: tvN |
Ahn Pan Seok's final work, "Love Doctor", centers on Park Min Jae (Choo Young Woo), a doctoral student and former swimmer who had one leg amputated due to illness, and Im Yoo Jin (Kim So Hyun), a master's student who shifted to robotics after her career was interrupted.
The two meet in a robotics research lab at Seoul National University. During their collaboration, Yoo Jin's knowledge of materials aids Min Jae's prosthetic leg research, fostering a developing relationship between them.
Cat Tien (According to News1, Daum)
