South Korean actor Song Young Kyu, known for his memorable role in the 2019 blockbuster ‘Extreme Job’, was found dead inside a parked vehicle in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of August 4. He was 55.

According to local police, the actor’s body was discovered around 8 am KST by an acquaintance in a residential complex. Authorities confirmed there were no signs of foul play and no suicide note was found at the scene. Investigators are currently speaking to his family and considering an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

A report by The Korea Times first confirmed the news, which was later echoed by multiple Korean outlets, including Maeil Business Newspaper and Soompi.

A career spanning stage, film and TV

Born in 1970, Song began his acting career in 1994 with a children’s musical titled ‘Wizard Mureul’. Over the decades, he built a solid presence across theatre, television and cinema. Despite often taking on supporting roles, his performances left a lasting impact on audiences.

His breakout moment came in ‘Extreme Job’ (2019), one of South Korea’s highest-grossing comedies. Song played Chief Choi, a tough and comical police squad leader, earning praise from both critics and viewers.

In recent years, he appeared in acclaimed streaming dramas such as ‘Narco-Saints’ (2022) and ‘Big Bet’ (2022). He also featured in historical K-drama ‘Hwarang’, playing the brother of Queen Jiso and sharing screen space with BTS’s Kim Taehyung (V).

At the time of his death, Song had roles in two ongoing television dramas – ENA’s ‘The Defects’ and SBS’s ‘Try’.

DUI scandal and public backlash

In the weeks leading up to his death, Song faced intense public scrutiny following a drunk driving incident. On June 19, he was caught driving under the influence in Yongin. According to police, he drove approximately five kilometres while intoxicated. His blood alcohol content reportedly exceeded 0.08 per cent—enough to warrant license revocation.

The matter was referred to prosecution, though it only became public knowledge a month later in late July. A local citizen is said to have reported the incident, which led to a surge of negative media attention and public criticism.

Following the backlash, Song voluntarily stepped down from his lead role in the stage production ‘Shakespeare in Love’. Production teams of both ‘The Defects’ and ‘The Winning Try’ confirmed they would minimise his screen time in post-production edits.

A source quoted by Koreaboo said: “He was distressed by the malicious articles and comments, and the circumstances were extremely unfavourable at that time.”

Police investigation ongoing

Authorities from the Yongin Dongbu Police Station confirmed that they are still investigating the cause of death. They have not ruled out the possibility of conducting an autopsy and are reviewing the circumstances surrounding his final days.

At the time of his passing, Song was also appearing as Pastor Yoon Se-hoon in the drama ‘Eye Shopping’. According to OSEN, a spokesperson for ‘The Defects’ stated: “Since it is a pre-produced drama, filming has been completed, and it seems that editing will be kept to a minimum so as not to affect the flow of the plot or the viewer’s perception of the plot.”

Song Young Kyu is survived by his wife and two daughters.