Actor Song Young-kyu (55), who won the public's love for his role as 'Chief Choi' in the movie 'Extreme Job', was found dead. This comes just 10 days after he suspended his activities due to a recent drunk driving controversy.
According to the Yongin Dongbu Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, Song Young-kyu was found dead in a vehicle in a residential area in Cheoin-gu, Yongin City, around 8 a.m. on the 4th. A friend discovered him unconscious in the vehicle and reported it, but by the time the police arrived, he was already deceased. No suicide note was found at the scene. The police have determined that there are no signs of foul play, such as external intrusion, but they will investigate the exact circumstances of his death with the bereaved family.
On June 19, Song Young-kyu was caught driving under the influence while driving approximately 5 km from Giheung-gu to Cheoin-gu in Yongin City at around 11 p.m. This fact became known about a month later, and as the controversy spread, he voluntarily stepped down from the play 'Shakespeare in Love' in which he was performing. He was also appearing as a pastor in the ENA drama 'I Shopping' and as a rugby coach in the SBS drama 'Try', and the production team announced plans to edit his appearances as much as possible.
Debuting in 1994 with the children's musical 'Mertel Dosa', Song Young-kyu has consistently engaged in acting for over 30 years, moving between stage and screen. He gained public recognition for his role as the upright 'Chief Choi' in the 2019 film 'Extreme Job', which attracted 10 million viewers. He later showcased his strong presence in OTT dramas such as the Netflix series 'Suriname' and Disney+'s 'Casino'. In 2022, he served as a special professor in the Department of Acting Arts at Semyung University, contributing to the training of future actors.
Following the news of his passing, a wave of tributes from fans flooded his social media. Netizens left comments such as “Rest in peace” and “I was impressed by you in 'Extreme Job'. It's so sad.”
Tributes from colleagues are also pouring in. According to the obituary, actors Song Il-gook, Lee Kyu-hyung, Jo Woo-jin, Choi Won-young, and DJ DOC's Kim Chang-yeol sent wreaths with the message “Rest in peace” to mourn the deceased.
The deceased's funeral is set to take place in Room 1 of the Davos Hospital funeral home in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, with the burial scheduled for the morning of the 6th. The burial site is at the Hambeoksan Memorial Park. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
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