Song Young-kyu: Korean actor and BTS co-star found dead in his car aged 55 after drink-driving offence
An actor has been found dead in a parked car.
South Korean star Song Young-kyu, 55, was found dead today in Yongin city, Gyeonggi Province, police have said. It came a week after it was revealed that he had been arrested for drink-driving on June 19.
The Straits Times reported that authorities said there were no signs of foul play, but that an investigation has started, which will include speaking to his family to find out the background leading up to his death.
The actor appeared in the huge South Korean box-office hit Extreme Job in 2019. The police comedy action film is the highest-grossing and second most viewed movie in South Korean cinema history.
He was known to international audiences for his roles in Netflix series Narco-Saints in 2022 and Disney+ series Big Bet, which ran from 2022 to 2023.
Song also portrayed the character of Queen Jiso’s brother in the historical K-drama Hwarang, which featured BTS member Kim Taehyung.
Last month police said Song drove about 5km in Yongin with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 per cent – which is high enough to have a driving licence removed in South Korea. The case had been forwarded on for a court appearance.
After the incident, Song was dropped from two projects in production – The Defects and The Winning Try – as well as the stage play Shakespeare In Love.
After making his debut in 1994, Song built an acting career over three decades, appearing in more than 40 television dramas and numerous films.