Eight years have already passed since the late Kim Joo-hyuk died, but in the hearts of fans and fellow actors he still remains a "warm actor" and "Gutang-ie hyung".
On Oct. 30, 2017, Kim Joo-hyuk died after a traffic accident near Yeongdong-daero in Samseong-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul. He was rushed to the hospital after the vehicle overturned but never regained consciousness, and he died at the age of 45. In that way, Kim Joo-hyuk left his loved ones far too suddenly, leaving only questions behind. The late man's remains were interred at a family columbarium in Seosan.
Kim Joo-hyuk, who debuted as part of SBS's eighth class of new actors in 1998, worked for more than 20 years across dramas, films and variety shows. He showed a wide acting range from the dramas drama "KAIST", "Lovers in Prague", "Gu-am Heo Jun" and "Argon" to the films "Gwang-sik's Younger Brother Gwang-tae", "My Wife Got Married", "Confidential Assignment" and "The Murder in the Stone Mansion." Numerous trophies, including the 2005 SBS Drama Awards grand prize for acting, the 2006 Baeksang Arts Awards for best actor and the 2017 The Seoul Awards supporting actor award, testify to his acting career.
He became an even more familiar actor to the public especially through the variety show KBS2 "1 Night 2 Days." As the eldest member, he cared for younger cast members and earned the nickname "Gutang-ie hyung" for his fearless comedy on the show, bringing viewers laughter and warmth.
But his sudden death, when he had always been cheerful, was a major shock to fans and colleagues. His close friend, actor Han Jung-soo, confessed, "I couldn't do anything for two years after that. My life changed 180 degrees," and fellow actor Chun Woo-hee, who was in the same agency, recalled, "After experiencing what happened to senior Joo-hyuk, my motivation for acting disappeared. Everything felt meaningless."
Even six years later, the longing for the late actor continues. Among those who were members of "1 Night 2 Days," Defconn and Kim Jun-ho, as well as actors Lee Gyu-han, Han Jung-soo, Chun Woo-hee and Lee Yoon-ji, mourn him every Oct. 30 on social media, expressing sentiments such as "I always miss you" and "We will not forget you."
Although Kim Joo-hyuk is gone, his sincere acting and warm character still live on in the memories of many.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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