Actor the late Park Dong-bin and the late Lee Sang-bo recently died suddenly, sending successive sad news through the entertainment industry. Both men, who showed strong, bold acting across home dramas and the big screen, had in common that while fiercely pursuing their lives as actors they also each ran restaurants outside of acting as they strove to build new livelihoods, a fact that deepens the public's sorrow.
Veteran actor Park Dong-bin, familiar to the public as "The Man from Nowhere," died on the 29th at the age of 56. According to police, he was found dead in a restaurant inside a shopping complex in Jangan-dong, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, where he had been preparing to open for business, a discovery that shocked many.
Since debuting in the 1998 film Shiri, Park Dong-bin appeared in numerous works such as The Age of Wanderers, Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and Sungkyunkwan Scandal, and in 2012 he caused a stir with the so-called "juice waterfall" pivotal scene in the drama I Think I Loved You. He was approaching his 30th anniversary in 2027 and until recently showed his passionate dedication to acting, appearing in the drama The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun.
But for Park Dong-bin, the restaurant business was a long-cherished dream as important as acting. Based on the gourmet experiences he accumulated while traveling to shoots across the country, his goal was to open a Korean restaurant bearing his name. Moreover, it would have been a solid support to provide for his family and his young daughter, who was born with a congenital heart disease, amid a downturn in the broadcasting sector, and at the same time it represented the realization of a long-held dream. In a media interview conducted just six days before his death, he showed strong determination by discussing plans for the new business, but his being found dead at that restaurant added to the sorrow.
Before the news of Park Dong-bin's death, last month actor Lee Sang-bo's death was reported. Fans and colleagues felt even greater sorrow at the sudden news this year, which marked his 20th anniversary since debut.
Lee Sang-bo, who became known in the 2006 drama The Invisible Man Choi Jang-su, went on to play supporting flavor roles in numerous dramas and films. In 2022, grieving after losing family members in succession, he suffered from depression and endured the ordeal of being wrongfully accused of drug use over medication he had taken. After being cleared of charges, he successfully returned to the screen and signed an exclusive contract with Korea Management Group, showing exceptional will and responsibility for his acting.
While not letting go of his acting career, Lee Sang-bo also worked hard to sustain his life by running a barbecue restaurant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, together with his cousin. Customer reviews revealed that he personally handled serving and store operations, living the diligent life of an "owner." In the end, he closed his eyes leaving behind the restaurant he ran and the people he loved, and his cousin, who stayed by his side, also expressed deep grief.
Waves of bitter consolation and mourning continue for the two veteran actors who loved acting and in real life struggled to build their own restaurants and live their lives with dedication.
[Photo] OSEN DB, provided by the agency
[OSEN]