Actor late Song Young-kyu will find eternal rest amid tributes from fellow actors.
On the 6th at 8 a.m., the funeral service for late Song Young-kyu will be held at Davos Hospital in Cheoin District, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. He will be laid to rest amid the farewell of his wife, two daughters, and many colleagues from the entertainment industry.
Late Song Young-kyu was found dead in his vehicle in Cheoin District, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, at 8 a.m. on the 4th. He was discovered collapsed in his vehicle, and it is reported that a friend confirmed this and reported it to the police.
Earlier, Song Young-kyu was sent to the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office without detention on charges of driving under the influence after allegedly driving about 5 kilometers from Giheung District to Cheoin District in Yongin at around 11 p.m. on June 19. This news became known belatedly a month later on the 25th, leading Song Young-kyu to step down from the play 'Shakespeare in Love,' in which he was performing.
Moreover, the production team of the SBS drama 'Try: We Become Miracles,' which is set to air its first episode, stated, "Actor Song Young-kyu has a supporting role in this drama. The episode scheduled to air this week has already been prepared for broadcast, including on global OTT platforms, so immediate editing is difficult. We ask for your understanding," while also noting, "We are discussing how to edit future appearances as much as possible, without impacting the main story development." The ENA drama 'The Defects' also mentioned, "As it is a pre-produced drama, filming has been completed, and we will minimize editing to avoid affecting the flow of the story for viewers."
However, just 10 days after the drunk driving controversy surfaced, the news of late Song Young-kyu's death was reported, causing shock. After his exclusive contract with his agency expired, late Song Young-kyu continued his acting career independently. According to OSEN's reporting, he had been living alone in an officetel away from his family, including his wife and two daughters, while pursuing his acting career. Furthermore, he was reportedly also experiencing difficulties with his café business. A close associate of the deceased lamented, "In that situation, with the drunk driving incident erupting, it seems the uncertainty of the future grew larger. I think he suffered unbearable stress."
Colleagues were unable to hide their disbelief at the sudden news. Musical actor Hwang Man-ik said, "You always said not to show weakness anywhere and to be confident. My brother Young-kyu shouldn't have done this... Even when you were struggling, you always took care of your juniors and gave them courage with your smile. I'm going to miss you, brother…" Actor Jang Hyuk-jin expressed, "You must have been very hurt, scared, and worried. I should have called you... Goodbye... You were such a good person to me. Let's meet again later. Rest well."
Lee Jong-hyuk, after visiting the funeral hall, revealed, "How regrettable... Did you really hate this world so much? I am disappointed by your weakness... I never imagined you would do this... You used to care for me... Rest well. You mentioned you would beat me in golf, even though you couldn't... I still need to play one more round... I had promised you." Lee Jae-yong lamented, "You were a 'good actor' who gave me confidence. I valued you highly because a bright future was in sight. I imagine the weight of life placed on your shoulders as a head of the family. My heart aches even more to let you go with empathy."
Ryu Seung-soo also expressed, "A week ago, after finishing a performance, I can't forget my brother's bittersweet expression as he quietly hugged me. You worked hard all this time! Now rest easy! It hasn't been long since Seon-kyun left." Actress Moon Hee-kyoung stated, "He was really a kind and hardworking actor, and it's so regrettable. I'm sorry for not making phone calls to check on you more often... Now rest in peace, Young-kyu."
Additionally, many colleagues, including actors Cha Tae-hyun, Yoon Kyung-ho, Jo Seong-ha, Cha Yeop, Jin Ki-joo, Kim Min-jae, Choi Kwi-hwa, Oh Ji-ho, Won Jina, Jung Seong-il, Seo Beom-seok, Yang Hyun-min, Noh Su-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 Beom-soo, Lee Soo-jung, Kim Jae-won, Yoon Jong-shin, Yeo Woon-hyuk, Jo Yeong-cheol, Ahn Jong-o, Lee Dong-hoon, Lee Jeong-eun, Choi Jin-hyeok, Kim Kwang-sik, Jeong Seung-gil, Kim Soo-jin, Yum Jung-ah, Jeong Hee-tae, Lee Jong-won, Nam Koong-min, Ryu Soo-young, Jo Jung-seok, Jung Sang-hoon, Jang Young-nam, Lim Cheol-hyeong, Yang Jun-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, Lim Sae-mi, Kim Hong-pa, sent floral tributes. Furthermore, directors Lee Byeong-hun, who directed 'Extreme Job,' and Shin Won-ho, director of the 'Reply' series, also paid tribute to the deceased.
Meanwhile, late Song Young-kyu debuted in 1994 with the children's musical 'Mertari,' appearing in various roles thereafter. He rose to prominence in 2019 with a strong supporting role as Captain Choi in the film 'Extreme Job' and appeared in dramas such as 'Stove League,' 'Suriname,' 'Casino,' and 'Love Scout.'
The deceased's funeral hall was arranged in room 1 of Davos Hospital. The burial site is Hambeaksan Memorial Park.
※ If you have concerns related to depression or if someone around you is experiencing such difficulties, you can receive expert counseling 24 hours a day through the suicide prevention hotline at ☎109, the mental health counseling hotline at ☎1577-0199, the hope line at ☎129, the life line at ☎1588-9191, the youth line at ☎1388, the mobile counseling app 'Dogs that Listen,' and KakaoTalk.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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