Actor Park Dong-bin (legal name Park Jong-moon) has passed away. He was 56.
According to the Pyeongtaek Police Station on the 30th, he was discovered around 4:25 p.m. the previous day at a restaurant inside a commercial building in Pyeongtaek. Police said no signs of foul play have been found so far.
A memorial altar has been set up in VIP Room 5 at Domin Funeral Hall in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province. His wife, actress Lee Sang-i, their daughter, and family are listed as chief mourners. The funeral will be held at 8:30 a.m. on May 1, with interment to follow at Useong Park Cemetery after a service at Yongin Forest of Peace.
A graduate of Chung-Ang University’s Department of Theater and Film, he first gained recognition with the 1998 film Shiri. He went on to make his mark in Volcano High and Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War.
On television, he steadily built his filmography across period and contemporary dramas, including Rustic Period, Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin, Dae Jo-yeong, and Sungkyunkwan Scandal. In particular, his orange juice–spilling scene in the 2012 MBC drama It Was Love went viral, earning him the nickname "Juice Uncle".
He remained active through last year with appearances in dramas like The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun. The heartbreaking news arrives just ahead of what would have been his 30th debut anniversary.
His steadfast career and body of work will live on in the memories of fans and colleagues.