Actor late Lee Eun-joo marks the 20th anniversary of her passing. Even after 20 years since her tragic departure from this world at a young age, the series of tragedies faced by stars who gave up their lives continues.
Late Lee Eun-joo passed away on Feb. 22, 2005, at the age of 25. It is known that she suffered from depression during her life and ultimately died at her home in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.
Late Lee Eun-joo made her debut in the entertainment industry by winning a silver medal at the 1996 Sun Kyung Smart Model Contest. The following year, she began her full-fledged acting career with the drama "Start" and gained attention as the childhood role of Sim Eun-ha in "White Night 3.98," and expanded her activity to the screen by appearing in the film "Trout" in 1998.
She then appeared in director Hong Sang-soo's works "The Day the Pig Fell Into the Well" and "The Power of Gangwon Province," winning the Best New Actress award at the Daejong Film Awards and establishing herself as a promising actress in Chungmuro. Late Lee Eun-joo built her filmography with "Bungee Jumping of Their Own," "Love Story," and "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War." Also, as "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War" surpassed 10 million viewers, late Lee Eun-joo achieved the honor of being the first Korean actress to reach a "10 million career."
In 2004, she continued her popularity by appearing in the drama "Steel Flower" and the film "The Scarlet Letter," but shortly after, she shocked the public with her passing. Subsequently, it was revealed that she had long suffered from depression and had been receiving medical treatment due to severe insomnia and loss of appetite, adding to the sorrow.
In particular, the sudden passing of a young actress in her 20s who was at the peak of her career caused a major shock in South Korean society. As it was the first time a young female celebrity in Korea had died by suicide, many could not hide their grief. Fellow actresses such as Kim Hye-soo, Jeon Do-yeon, Uhm Ji-won, Kim So-yeon, Son Ye-jin, and Kim Min-jung also expressed their shock and mourned her death.
A long time has passed since her death, but many fans still express their longing for her. Moreover, as the 20th anniversary of late Lee Eun-joo's passing approaches, similar tragedies in the entertainment industry have repeatedly added to the sadness. Just a week before her memorial day, on the 16th, actress Kim Sae-ron also left this world at the age of 24, continuing the wave of mourning.
If you have difficult concerns such as depression or know someone in your vicinity who is experiencing such difficulties, you can receive expert counseling 24 hours a day from the suicide prevention counseling hotline ☎109, mental health counseling hotline ☎1577-0199, Hope Line ☎129, Lifeline ☎1588-9191, Youth Line ☎1388, youth mobile counseling "Let's Hear It All" app, KakaoTalk, etc.
[Photo] Film still