YONGIN, South Korea — Veteran South Korean actor Song Young-kyu, widely recognized for his supporting role in the hit 2019 action-comedy film Extreme Job, was found dead Monday morning, August 4, according to police.
The 55-year-old actor was discovered by an acquaintance inside a car in a residential complex in Yongin, just south of Seoul, around 8 a.m. Authorities confirmed there were no signs of foul play or a suicide note at the scene.
Song had recently faced public controversy after being caught drunk driving in June in the same city. The incident reportedly led to his removal from several ongoing projects.
Born in 1970, Song began his acting career in 1994 in children’s musicals and gradually built a diverse portfolio across film, television, and theater. His breakout came with Extreme Job, a box-office hit about narcotics detectives running a fried chicken restaurant as a front for their investigation.
He continued to gain prominence with roles in major streaming titles such as Netflix’s Narco-Saints (2022) and Disney+’s Big Bet (2022). At the time of his death, Song was appearing in two ongoing drama series: ENA’s The Defects and SBS TV’s Try.
Song Young-kyu is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Sources: Yonhap News Agency