Song Young-gue, an actor known for his appearance in "Extreme Job," died in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Monday. He was 55.

According to the Yongin Dongbu Police Precinct, the cast member of the 2019 comedy film was discovered dead inside a vehicle parked in Samga-dong, Cheoin District, Yongin, Gyeonggi, by an acquaintance, who reported the incident to police.

No signs of foul play have been found as of press time, authorities said. Police plan to question Song’s family to determine the circumstances surrounding his death.

Song made his debut in the 1994 children’s musical “Taoist Meoteol,” and continued to appear in numerous films, dramas and stage plays. He gained recognition for his role as detective squad chief Choi in “Extreme Job,” and appeared in the 2022 drama series “Narco-Saints” on Netflix and “Big Bet” on Disney+.

His career hit a rough patch on June 19, when he found himself under investigation for drunk driving.

Following the incident, Song was edited out of scenes in the ongoing ENA television drama series “The Defects” to minimize disruption to the storyline. He also stepped down from the stage play “Shakespeare in Love” at the CJ Towol Theater of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho District, southern Seoul, ending his run on July 25.

When the drunk driving case became public, Song issued a public apology through a local media outlet, saying that he was “truly sorry."

A wake is being held at Davos Hospital in Yongin with the burial to follow at Mount Hambaek Memorial Park.

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling, contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.


Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]