Lee Yong Joo, best known for his role in tvN’s sitcom Blue Tower, has passed away at the age of 44.
Lee Yong Joo’s funeral procession was held at 6:30 AM on August 31st at Bundang Jesaeng Hospital Funeral Hall in Gyeonggi Province. He was laid to rest at the Seongnam City Funeral Culture Center.
Lee Yong Joo passed away on August 29th after suffering cardiac arrest. According to reports, his underlying condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, had worsened and led to his death. News of his passing was first shared by acquaintances.
Lee Yong Joo gained popularity after appearing as a new recruit in Blue Tower, which aired on tvN beginning in 2012. His longtime co-stars Kim Jae Woo, Baek Bong Gi, Kim Ho Chang, Jung Jin Wook and Song Young Jae gathered at his wake to pay their respects.
Kim Ho Chang shared a heartfelt tribute, recalling how Lee Yong Joo encouraged him when he considered leaving acting. “You’ll make it, Ho Chang. Don’t give up. At least you should stick with it until the end as the youngest of the Blue Tower family,” he wrote. “I’ll trust you and see this through to the end. I hope you’re happy and free from pain up there. I’ll come visit you again soon with the other brothers.”
Kim Jae Woo also mourned his longtime friend on social media, writing that Lee Yong Joo “was a good person who sincerely cared about his colleagues and a more passionate actor than anyone else.”
Lee Yong Joo made his acting debut in the 2004 film Doma Ahn Joong Keun and went on to appear in works including Hello, Francesca, Princess Hours and Let’s Eat. Following the end of the Blue Tower series, he continued to take on supporting roles and cameos while also pursuing YouTube activities.
He stepped away from acting around 2022 to focus on his personal business. He was 44 years old.
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