The sudden death of actor late Song Young-kyu has plunged the entertainment industry into sorrow. A procession of industry colleagues remembering him is taking place at his mortuary.
On the 4th, the news of late Song Young-kyu's death was reported. He was 55 years old. Late Song Young-kyu was found collapsed in a vehicle, and it is reported that a friend confirmed this before notifying the police.
Late Song Young-kyu debuted in 1994 with the children's musical 'Merutal Dosa,' and after a long period of anonymity, he made a mark in 2019 with the role of Captain Choi in the film 'Extreme Job,' establishing himself as a notable supporting actor. He then appeared in dramas such as 'Stove League,' 'Suriname,' 'Casino,' and 'Love Scout,' and recently starred in the SBS drama 'Try: We Become Miracles' and the ENA drama 'The Defects.'
However, ahead of the opening of the play 'Shakespeare in Love' on the 25th of last month, news of his drunk driving came to light, shocking many. According to reports, late Song Young-kyu was accused of driving under the influence while intoxicated for about 5 kilometers from Giheung-gu to Cheoin-gu in Yongin at around 11 p.m. on June 19 and was sent to the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office without detention.
The police received a report from a witness stating that "drunk driving is suspected," and they identified late Song Young-kyu's vehicle for apprehension. His blood alcohol content was found to be at a level that would result in a license suspension (over 0.08%). He was investigated to have driven his vehicle after drinking with friends in the Giheung area.
As a result, late Song Young-kyu stepped down from 'Shakespeare in Love,' which was set to premiere, and editing became inevitable for both 'Try' and 'The Defects' in which he appeared. Meanwhile, just 10 days after the drunk driving controversy erupted, sudden news of his passing was reported, and fellow entertainers struggled to hide their deep sorrow upon hearing the news.
According to an exclusive report by OSEN, late Song Young-kyu faced difficult times, including the failure of his café business and separation from his wife. A close associate of the deceased said to OSEN, "When I met him last year, he was still living separately from his family (wife and children). He had rented an officetel in Bundang and continued his acting activities while living alone," adding, "In such a situation, when the drunk driving incident occurred, it seems the future felt increasingly bleak for him. He must have been under stress that was unbearable."
In response, actors Jo Woo-jin, Choi Won-young, Lee Kyu-hyung, DJ DOC Kim Chang-yeol, Jang Hyuk-jin, Lee Jong-hyuk, Lee Si-eon, Park Ju-hyun, Hwang Man-ik, Lee Jae-yong, Jung Tae-woo, Ryu Seung-soo, Lim Sae-mi, and Moon Hee-kyung expressed their feelings of loss through memorial posts. The production of the ongoing 'The Defects' stated, "We express our deep condolences for the sudden news of actor Song Young-kyu. We sincerely wish for the deceased's peace and extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family," and they noted that they are editing the broadcast to minimize the deceased's appearances. They also requested understanding from the viewers. The 'Try' team, which has now become the deceased's final work, also wished for the deceased's peace, stating, "'Try' is a pre-produced drama and is conducting minimal edits within the bounds of maintaining the story flow, excluding the portions already delivered to global OTT platforms."
There was a wave of mourning at the mortuary as well. Colleagues including actors Cha Tae-hyun, Yoon Kyung-ho, Jo Sung-ha, Cha Yeop, Jin Ki-joo, Kim Min-jae, Choi Gwi-hwa, Oh Ji-ho, Won Jina, Jung Sung-il, Seo Beom-seok, Yang Hyun-min, Noh Soo-san-na, Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Sang-yi, Park Myung-hoon, Jin-goo, Lee Sang-yoon, Park Sung-woong, Shin Eun-jung, Lee Si-eon, Kim Sun-a, Ryu Sung-beom, Hwang Jung-eum, Shin Sung-rok, Lee Bum-soo, Lee Su-jeong, Kim Jae-won, Yoon Jong-shin, Yeo Un-hyeok, Jo Young-cheol, Ahn Jong-oh, Lee Dong-hoon, Lee Jeong-eun, Choi Jin-hyuk, Kim Kwang-sik, Jung Seung-gil, Kim Soo-jin, Yum Jung-ah, Jung Hee-tae, Lee Jong-won, Namkoong Min, Ryu Su-young, Jo Jung-seok, Jung Sang-hoon, Jang Young-nam, Lim Cheol-hyung, Yang Joon-mo, Kang Hong-seok, Yoo Soo-bin, Na Hyun-woo, Lee Soo-chan, Ahn Ji-hwan, Sim Hye-jin, Seo Young-hee, Son Suk-ku, and others filled the area with wreaths they sent in tribute.
Additionally, singers Seong-eun, Hong Seo-beom, Jo Gap-kyung, comedian Oh Jung-tae, and Hong In-kyu also sent wreaths to participate in the mourning. Directors Lee Byung-hun, who directed 'Extreme Job,' and Shin Won-ho, of the 'Reply' series, as well as production teams and companies that had connections through past works also expressed their condolences for the unfortunate news.
Meanwhile, the mortuary of the deceased has been set up at the Dabo Hospital funeral home in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. His two daughters and wife are listed as the attendees. The funeral will be held at 8 a.m. on the 6th, and the burial site will be at Hambeoksan Memorial Park.
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[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]