Korean actor Song Young-Kyu dead at 55
Song Young-Kyu, a Korean actor famed for his role in the 2019 film Extreme Job, has died at the age of 55.
Police and local media reports state the actor was found dead early in the morning on August 4th, inside a car in a residential complex in Yongin, south of Seoul. No official cause of death has yet been confirmed.
It comes just weeks after Song was involved in a drunk-driving incident in the same area in June, where he was found to have a blood alcohol concentration level above the legal limits, meaning he could have had his license revoked.
The case had been put forward to prosecutors and Song was awaiting the final verdict on his case.
As a direct result of the controversy, the actor had been dropped from a number of upcoming projects he was set to star in, including the dramas The Defects and The Winning Try, which are currently being filmed, as well as a stage version of the acclaimed film Shakespeare in Love.
Leaving behind his wife and two daughters, Song was one of the most well-renowned actors in Korea, with a career spanning over three decades since his screen debut in 1994. He had starred in over 40 TV dramas and various films across the course of his acting life.
Song also extended his acting expertise far beyond the stage and screen, taking up a post as a special professor in the Department of Acting Arts at Semyung University, a top-rated private higher education institution in the Jecheon City area of South Korea.
Alongside his most acclaimed roles, the actor had also appeared in series such as Netflix’s Narco-Saints and Big Bet for Disney+.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.