Seoul, August 4
Korean star Song Young-Kyu, best known for his role in 'Extreme Job', has passed away. He was 55.
As per Variety, Song Young-Kyu breathed his last on Monday. Local authorities informed that the actor was found unresponsive inside a parked car in Cheoin-gu, Yongin, south of Seoul, around 8 a.m. local time.
An acquaintance discovered his body.
It was 1994 when Song made his stage debut with the children's musical "Wizard Mureul" and built a steady three-decade career across theater, film and television.
He was best known for supporting roles in projects including "Trick," "Stove League," "Baseball Girk" and "Hyena."
His appearance in "Extreme Job" -- one of the highest-grossing films in Korean cinema - cemented his status as a reliable character actor with a knack for dry humor and gritty realism.
In June this year, Song was involved in a DUI incident in Yongin, reportedly driving five kilometers with a blood alcohol concentration high enough for license revocation under South Korean law. He was referred to prosecution without detention. In the aftermath, Song stepped down from the stage production of "Shakespeare in Love" and was removed or minimized in two dramas airing at the time - ENA's "The Defects" and SBS's "The Winning Try," as per Variety.
He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Tragic end to a talented actor. The DUI incident was unfortunate but doesn't take away from his body of work. My condolences to his family.
Korean dramas and films have such amazing supporting actors. Song Young-kyu was one of those faces you'd recognize immediately. Sad that he left so young.
This is heartbreaking. I just watched Extreme Job last month and he was brilliant in it. Mental health awareness is so important in the entertainment industry.
The pressure on Korean actors is immense. The DUI incident might have been a cry for help. We should be more compassionate towards celebrities going through tough times.
Om Shanti 🙠His performance in Stove League was outstanding. Korean entertainment industry is so competitive, it's sad to see talented people struggle.
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