Lee Sun Kyun dies at 48: Park Seo Joon, Kim Yoo Jung, Lee Jung Jae, more mourn loss of colleague at funeral
Lee Sun Kyun, aged 48, recently passed away. Colleagues and acquaintances, including Lee Jung Jae, Park Seo Joon, and Kim Yoo Jung, attended his funeral to mourn his loss.
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Multiple actors show up for Lee Sun Kyun's funeral to mourn his loss
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Many who are unable to attend due to schedule send their condolences through wreaths
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death and possible suicide
On December 28, actors and individuals from the South Korean entertainment industry gathered to bid farewell to the prolific actor Lee Sun Kyun, who reportedly tragically took his own life in Seoul on December 27. The beloved 48-year-old actor had been under police investigation since October for suspicions of using illicit drugs on multiple occasions earlier in the year.
Lee Sun Kyun’s funeral attended by colleagues and friends
The funeral for the late actor Lee Sun Kyun took place at the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul on December 27, 2023. Actress Jeon Hye Jin, his wife, was listed as the Chief Mourner, alongside Lee Sun Kyun's two older brothers. Strict security measures were in place at the funeral hall, with reporters prohibited from entering, and a display of flower wreaths lining the hallways.
The funeral was held in Room 1, and the first mourner to visit was Jang Won Seok, CEO of BA Entertainment, which produced the movie The Outlaws and the series for Disney+'s Casino. Lee Won Seok, director of the movie Killing Romance, in which Lee Sun Kyun was featured, paid his respects at 5 PM KST.
Actor Yoo Jae Myung, who collaborated with Lee Sun Kyun in movies like Kingmaker and Land of Happiness, attended the funeral. Actor Song Young Gyu, a close friend of the deceased, also visited the funeral with a visibly devastated expression. Junior actor Kim Seong Cheol paid his respects at the mortuary later in the evening.
Actor Cho Jin Woong, who shared the screen with Lee Sun Kyun in The Hard Day and took on the role in the drama No Way Out after the Parasite actor withdrew due to his ongoing case, attended the funeral with evident support for the bereaved family, expressing profound shock. Additionally, Taiwanese actor Heo Gwang Han, widely known as Greg Hsu and a fellow cast member in the same drama No Way Out, was observed paying his respects at the funeral.
Actors Sol Kyung Gu, Kim Sang Ho, Kim Jong Soo, Min Jin Woong, and Go Kyung Pyo paid their respects at the funeral. Director Byun Seong Hyeon, who helmed the movie Kingmaker, also attended to express condolences. Jo Jung Suk, who collaborated with Lee Sun Gyun in his posthumous work, The Land of Happiness, visited the funeral as well. According to various sources, the Hospital Playlist lead star was visibly emotional, shedding tears as he left the funeral hall.
During the evening at approximately 7 PM, a solemn procession was held in honor of the late actor. Esteemed actor Moon Seong Geun, who shared the screen with Lee Sun Kyun in Oki's Movie, was present, as well as Kim Hye Eun and Bae Yu Ram, who worked alongside the actor in Killing Romance. Additionally, Kim Do Hyun, who had the opportunity to collaborate with the actor in the variety show Very Private Southeast Asia, also attended. Together, they all paid their heartfelt respects during the procession.
Actors Ryu Jun Yeol, Choi Duk Moon, Yoo Yeon Seok, and Bae Seong Woo paid their respects at the funeral. Actor Lee Sung Min, along with Director Byun Young Joo of Helpless, in which Lee Sun Kyun starred, and Director Lee Chang Dong of Burning, also visited the funeral to pay their respects to their late colleague.
Colleagues with connections to Lee Sun Kyun, including actors Ha Jung Woo (co-star in Take Point), Jung Woo Sung, Lee Jung Jae, Jeon Do Yeon, Im Si Wan, and Kim Nam Gil, all expressed their condolences and mourned the late actor's final journey. The funeral home remained crowded with mourners until after 10 PM.
In the early morning of the 28th, director Bong Joon Ho, who collaborated with Lee Sun Kyun in the Oscar-winning film Parasite in 2019, visited the funeral to mourn the passing. Actress Park So Dam, who worked alongside Lee Sun Kyun in Parasite, and actress Oh Na Ra, his co-star in the beloved drama My Mister, also paid their respects at the funeral.
Minister Yoo In Chon was also seen at the funeral, expressing condolences to a senior actor. He noted the tragedy of a person who has worked for a long time and is young passing away, expressing confusion and heartbreak. Additionally, actress Song Seon Mi who worked in the drama Behind The White Tower, which played a role in Lee Sun Kyun's ascent to becoming a major lead actor, also paid her condolences.
Around 1:10 PM on the 28th, actress Jung Ryeo Won visited the funeral with a somber expression. She had previously collaborated with Lee Sun Kyun in the drama Diary Of A Prosecutor. Actress Jung Yu Mi, who had worked with Lee Sun Kyun on four projects, including the recent movie Sleep where they played a married couple, reportedly paid her respects on the 27th.
Actors who couldn’t be present sent wreaths as condolences
Colleagues who were unable to attend the funeral due to scheduling conflicts paid tribute by sending wreaths. Actor Ryu Seung Ryong, who collaborated with Lee Sun Kyun in the movie All About My Wife, along with actors Yoo Hae Jin, Park Seo Joon, Kim Yoo Jung, and Ma Dong Seok, expressed their condolences through floral arrangements. Actors Yoo Jun Sang, Park Sung Woong, and Byun Yo Han, who couldn't make it due to their schedules, also sent wreaths to convey their sorrow and condolences.
Many artists from the Korean entertainment industry expressed their condolences for Lee Sun Kyun on social media, including G-Dragon, BoA, Kim Go Eun, Claudia Kim, and others. The sudden death of Lee Sun Kyun led to adjustments in scheduled events as a mark of mourning. For instance, Kim Seong Gyu's interview for the film Noryang: Deadly Sea and the online media conference for Park Min Young's drama Marry My Husband were rescheduled to other dates, allowing time for the industry to collectively mourn the loss of Lee Sun Kyun.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, anxiety, going through depression, or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.
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