Veteran actor Park Dong-bin suddenly passed away, and it was additionally revealed that he was found dead at a restaurant he was preparing to open, adding to the shock.
On the 30th, it was belatedly reported that Park Dong-bin died on the 29th. He was 56.
According to the police, Park Dong-bin was found dead at about 4:25 p.m. on the 29th at a restaurant in a commercial complex located in Jangan-dong, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. The first person to report was an acquaintance of Park Dong-bin.
In particular, the place where the deceased was found was reported to be a Korean restaurant Park Dong-bin was preparing to open. The reporting acquaintance was also someone who had been helping Park Dong-bin with the opening. When the acquaintance suddenly could not contact Park Dong-bin, worried, they visited the restaurant to check, found the deceased, and reportedly called the authorities immediately.
To the veteran actor, the restaurant business was a long-held dream since childhood in addition to acting. With his 30th debut anniversary coming in 2027, he showed enthusiasm for the restaurant business in an interview with a media outlet on the 24th, just six days before his death, saying that since last year he had been planning a new business to connect with the public and had been eager about the restaurant industry.
As an actor who traveled across the country to various filming locations and accumulated gourmet experiences at eateries along the way, he hoped someday to open a Korean restaurant bearing his name. Above all, this was intended as a means of livelihood for his daughter, who was born with a congenital heart condition, and the family amid a downturn in broadcasting, and at the same time as a way for Park Dong-bin to realize a long-cherished dream. However, Park Dong-bin was ultimately found dead at the restaurant he had been enthusiastically preparing, deepening the sorrow.
Born in 1970, Park Dong-bin debuted in 1998 with the film Shiri and studied theater and film at Chung-Ang University while nurturing his dream of becoming an actor. He later met audiences by appearing in films such as Taegukgi: Brotherhood Of War, My Man's Romance, and Beauty of Joseon. He also delivered strong performances in historical and period dramas such as drama The Age of Wanderers, Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and Sungkyunkwan Scandal.
Notably, in the 2012 daily soap opera Love, he became a major topic when, after learning the birth secret from co-star Park Si-eun that "Yena, Seon-jeong is the daughter," he spat out the orange juice he was about to drink. Riding on that, he earned the nickname 'juice uncle' and became the subject of 'clips' and 'memes,' beloved by internet users, and the scene drew more attention because the ad-lib was devised by Park Dong-bin.
In addition to various other works, Park Dong-bin married fellow actor and partner Lee Sang Yi in 2020 and started a family. The two had a daughter in 2023, three years after their marriage. Park Dong-bin appeared on Channel A's variety show Oh Eun-young's Golden Counseling Center to reveal his only daughter's battle with a heart condition, drawing sympathy.
Despite that, Park Dong-bin appeared in MBC's daily soap opera The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun, which aired through the end of last year, and stoked his passion for acting by preparing a new project to film this year. In October last year, he appeared as a guest on TV CHOSUN's variety show Love Call Center - Seven Stars, where he sang Magma's 'Haeya,' defeated singer Kim Yong Bin, and recorded the highest score. In a subsequent interview with a media outlet, he also mentioned his next project and plans for a new business. Ultimately, he passed away on the verge of realizing his dream, leaving a sense of shock.
The police are currently investigating the exact cause of death and the circumstances surrounding it. However, they said that so far there is no sign of an outsider having entered the scene, nor any indication of a criminal suspicion. They also said no clues that could estimate the cause of death, such as a will, notes, or mobile phone text messages, have been found.
Meanwhile, the deceased's wake has been set up at VIP room 5 of the Domi Funeral Hall in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province. The funeral will be held at 8:30 a.m. on May 1. The burial site will be Woosung Park Cemetery after passing through the Forest of Peace in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. <
[Photo] Provided by Y People ENT, OSEN DB, sources MBC and Channel A.
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