[Sportschosun Park Ah-ram] Actor Lee Yong-ju has died suddenly. He was 44.
The news was delivered on the 29th through one of Lee Yong-ju's acquaintances. The acquaintance shared the news of his passing on social media, expressing sorrow over the sudden farewell and asking people to remember him. The cause of death was reported to be a heart attack.
As news of Lee Yong-ju's death spread, attention has also turned to the health issue he had previously disclosed. In an earlier interview, Lee Yong-ju said that he had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which prevented him from serving in the military.
In a 2013 interview about the tvN military sitcom "The Blue Tower," Lee Yong-ju explained that he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy while preparing to enlist. He also revealed that his mother had previously been hospitalized for the same condition, and that after undergoing tests with his family, he was found to have the disease as well.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart muscle becomes thicker than normal, which can affect heart function. In some cases, it can lead to irregular heartbeats or cardiovascular complications. However, it has not yet been specifically confirmed whether Lee Yong-ju's preexisting condition directly contributed to his death.
In a YouTube video released in February this year, Lee Yong-ju also mentioned that he had health issues related to his heart while explaining why he was exempted from military service.
Although he had no military service experience, the late actor left a strong impression on the public by naturally portraying a clumsy yet innocent new recruit in "The Blue Tower." He drew even more attention after it became known that he played the role without having experienced military life himself.
Lee Yong-ju began his acting career with the 2004 film "Thomas Ahn Joong Keun" and went on to appear steadily in a range of works, including "Hello Franceska," "Princess Hours," "Ugly Miss Young-ae," "Let's Eat," and "Golden Tower." He expanded his presence as an actor by taking on diverse roles in both dramas and films.
The late actor's funeral altar has been set up in Room 5 of the funeral hall at Bundang Jesaeng Hospital. The funeral procession is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. on the 31st, and the burial site is reported to be the Seongnam City Funeral Culture Center.
tokkig@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
