Wesley Snipes honors his late father-in-law, director Park Cheol

Wesley Snipes speaks at the press event for the 2019 Chungbuk International Martial Arts and Action Film Festival at Shilla Hotel, central Seoul, in August 2019. [YONHAP]

American actor Wesley Snipes on Tuesday honored the life and career of late Korean television producer and his father-in-law Park Cheol, praising him for being a key driving force behind today's wide popularity of Korean culture overseas.

In a Korean-language eulogy in honor of Park, Snipes applauded his late father-in-law for leading Korea "to the forefront of cultural history" and pushing the country forward as "a great powerhouse that created the Korean cultural wave that has captured the world's attention."

Park passed away on July 13 at the age of 82. He was responsible for creating the TV drama series "What is Love" on MBC TV, which saw ratings skyrocket as high as 64.9 percent during its 1991-1992 broadcast.

"What is Love" is often cited as one of the first successful Korean cultural export products, having attracted some 150 million Chinese TV viewers when aired on China's CCTV in 1997.

Snipes married Park's daughter, Na-kyung, in 2003.

The American actor noted that Park's works provided comfort and solace to the Korean people during the country's era of post-war reconstruction.

"From the era of reconstruction in Korea, through the years of turbulence, through vision, courage and creativity, you helped the people cry, laugh and grow," Snipes said. He added that Park will be remembered by his family and that his fans "praise and thank you."

Yonhap