It has come to light that the late actor Song Yeong-kyu endured severe stress from business failures and difficulties, as well as a drinking and driving accident during his lifetime.
Earlier, Song Yeong-kyu was found dead in a vehicle in a townhouse in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, around 8 a.m. on the 4th. He was 55 years old.
A friend of Song Yeong-kyu discovered him in the car and promptly reported it to the police, who are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
On the night of June 19th, Song Yeong-kyu was caught driving under the influence for about 5 kilometers in a state of intoxication in the Giheung District of Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Police responded after a witness reported the incident, and his blood alcohol concentration was above the legal limit for license suspension (0.08% or higher).
However, the news of his drunk driving surfaced a month later on July 25th, leading to intensified public criticism. Ultimately, Song Yeong-kyu decided to have his scenes minimized in ongoing SBS dramas 'Tri' and ENA's 'The Defects', and he also stepped down from the play 'Shakespeare in Love.'
Just 10 days after the drunk driving incident came to light, Song Yeong-kyu passed away. Despite committing a grave wrong, the sudden news has shocked his family, colleagues, and the public.
On that day, a close acquaintance of Song Yeong-kyu told OSEN, "He had a lot of stress even before this (driving under the influence) incident. It seems like the decrease in work, along with personal matters, led to a vicious cycle." They added, "I think he turned to alcohol to forget his pain as stress built up. People around him advised against it, which is really unfortunate," they expressed with difficulty.
According to sources close to him, Song Yeong-kyu focused on acting in dramas and films. His wife was running a café business, and they were working hard together, but as the economy worsened, they reportedly suffered significant financial losses.
In this context, a close associate mentioned, "When I met Song Yeong-kyu last year, he was living separately from his family (including his wife and children). He had rented an officetel in Bundang and was living alone while continuing his acting career. It seems that after the drunk driving incident, he felt an increasing sense of hopelessness about the future. He must have been under unbearable stress," they lamented.
Additionally, the associate said, "Of course drinking and driving is clearly a wrongdoing, but actor Song Yeong-kyu was a person with immense talent and a really good character. It's so upsetting and tragic. There were various problems, but I wish he could have resolved them one by one..." they couldn't hide their sorrow.
Those who worked with the late Song Yeong-kyu or established relationships as fellow actors, including Song Il-gook, Jo Woo-jin, Jung Sung-il, Choi Won-young, and Lee Kyu-hyung, as well as singers DJ DOC's Kim Chang-yeol, Sung-eun, and Lee Jang-woo, left messages of condolences saying, "Our heartfelt condolences to the deceased." Many representatives from film production companies and management also expressed their respect.
The mortuary for the deceased has been set up at the special funeral room No. 1 of Davos Hospital in Yongin, and his wife and two daughters are named as the bereaved family. The funeral is scheduled for 8 a.m. on the 6th, with the burial site at the Hambeoksan Memorial Park.
Born in 1970, Song Yeong-kyu was an actor who graduated from the Acting Department of Seoul Arts College. He began his career officially in 1994 with the children's musical 'Meteoll Dosa', after passing through the Seoul Municipal Musical Company and others. He later worked in various dramas and films, often in supporting roles. He gained recognition for his role as the head of the violent crimes unit in the film 'Extreme Job.'
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[Photo] OSEN DB, the late Song Yeong-kyu portrait.
[OSEN]