A young South Korean TV star was found dead at his home in an apparent suicide, leaving fans stunned and heartbroken.
39-year-old Song Jae-lim was known for the series Moon Embracing the Sun. Police in Seoul did not share a cause, but they said a note was found and foul play is not suspected.
It's just the latest tragic death of a South Korean star, in what is becoming a troubling trend in the nation's entertainment industry.
A friend of the actor went to his house to have lunch on November 7, according to police, and that's when he made the horrid discovery.
The actor's family told Yonhap News Agency that they will hold a small funeral in Seoul for family members. He will be laid to rest on November 14.
🚨🇰🇷K-DRAMA STAR SONG JAE-LIM FOUND DEAD IN SEOUL HOME
Beloved K-drama actor Song Jae-lim, known for his role in Moon Embracing the Sun, was tragically found dead at his Seoul apartment yesterday.
His mysterious final Instagram post, showing him in a black T-shirt with a… pic.twitter.com/oxZgsjo3nk
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 13, 2024
Song made his debut in the 2009 movie Actresses and his star continued to rise in the 2012 fantasy series Moon Embracing the Sun, where he played a loyal guard to a medieval Korean king.
He also appeared in the 2014 reality show We Got Married and was still acting this year in Queen Woo, another fantasy drama. The star also appeared in the musical La Rose De Versailles as recently as October.
His other shows included Cool Guys, Hot Ramen, Inspiring Generations, Two Weeks, and Secret Mother.
Stunned fans shared their reaction to Song's death online, with one writing, "Another horrible incident has happened, and another young artist has died too early."
Fellow actor Yoo Sun, who worked with Song, wrote, "It’s too sad, it hurts so much... May you find peace and rest."
Actor Park Ho San wrote, in an Instagram post, "Since you were always so cheerful, it's hard to believe [the news]."
South Korea is notorious for its extremely competitive entertainment industry, which has driven numerous stars to suicide. Lee Sun-Kyun, known for his role as the wealthy father in the Oscar-winning global hit Parasite, died by suicide last year at the age of 48.
