The South Korean entertainment industry is in mourning today following the sudden death of veteran actor Song Young Gyu. He was found deceased in his vehicle in Yongin on Monday morning. As news of the tragedy spread, fellow actors who had worked with him for years took to social media to express their grief and share their memories.
On Tuesday, actor Lee Jong Hyuk posted a heartbreaking tribute to his friend and university senior. “It feels so empty without you. Did you hate this world that much? I’m just so heartbroken… I never saw this coming,” he wrote. “You were always so good to me. Please rest well.”
Lee recalled their shared history at the Seoul Institute of the Arts, where Song was his senior from the class of ’89. “You said you were good at golf, but you never could beat me,” he wrote, remembering a promise they had made. “We were supposed to play one more time.”
Other colleagues shared similar messages of sorrow. Actor Jung Tae Woo posted photos with Song, including one from the funeral hall, with the simple but powerful message, “My beloved Young Gyu. I love you.” Jang Hyuk Jin wrote, “Brother, you must have been so tired, scared and worried. I should have called. Go well. To me, you were such a good person. We’ll meet again someday. Rest.”
Tributes also poured in from numerous other stars, including Song Il Gook, Lee Kyu Hyung, Jo Woo Jin, Choi Won Young, Jung Sung Il, Ryu Seung Su, Moon Hee Kyung, Lee Jae Yong and Lee Jang Woo.
The tragedy occurred while Song was active in the acting scene. He had recently appeared in dramas Try: We Become a Miracle on SBS and The Defects on ENA. The production team for Try released a statement expressing their deep condolences, explaining that they are “making minimal edits to his remaining scenes out of respect, while ensuring the storyline remains intact for viewers.” Meanwhile, the team behind The Defects stated that it would air as planned because editing on the series was already complete, and they offered their prayers for the late actor.
Amid the grief, a poignant story about Song’s personal life has resurfaced. In an appearance on a home organization show approximately four years ago, the actor revealed he had been living separately from his family due to financial struggles brought on by supporting his children’s education.
“My finances have gotten tighter because of my daughters’ education,” he explained at the time. “My oldest is studying abroad in the U.S., and my younger daughter just started attending an arts high school to major in musical theater.”
He admitted that the costs were heavy, but he couldn’t bring himself to stand in the way of his children’s dreams. “Their determination was so strong, and they were doing so well, I just couldn’t say no,” he said. “I told them, ‘Go ahead. Dad will work hard to support you.’ To make that possible, I had no choice but to cut back on our living expenses.”
His wife added, “Our children’s dreams were more important than living in a nice house.”
Song Young Gyu was discovered around 8:00 AM on Monday, August 4th. A funeral service is being held at Yongin Davos Hospital Funeral Hall. The funeral procession is scheduled for 8:00 AM on Wednesday, August 6th, with burial to follow at Hambaeksan Memorial Park.
