Seoul | Ahn Sung-ki, one of South Korean cinema's most prominent stars whose 60-year career and positive, gentle public image earned him the nickname “The Nation's Actor,” died on Monday. He was 74.

The death of Ahn, who had been fighting blood cancer for years, was announced by the Seoul-based Soonchunhyang University Hospital.

Ahn had collected more than 20 trophies in major movie awards in South Korea, including winning the prestigious Grand Bell Awards for best actor five times, an achievement no other South Korean actors have matched yet.

Ahn built up an image as a humble, trustworthy and family-oriented celebrity who avoided major scandals and maintained a quiet, stable personal life. Past public surveys chose Ahn as South Korea's most beloved actor and deserving of the nickname “The Nation's Actor” the most