South Korean actor Song Jae-lim, a former model who rose to prominence in K-dramas, was found dead in Seoul on Tuesday. He was 39.
Born in 1985, Song began his entertainment career with the 2009 film “Actresses.”
He gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of a royal guard in the 2012 historical drama “Moon Embracing the Sun,” and reached further fame through an appearance on the reality show “We Got Married.” His final performance was in the musical “La Rose De Versailles,” which ended in October.
The final posts on Song’s Instagram account, two selfies shared in January, have accumulated more than 61,000 likes. Comments are disabled on the account.
South Korean stars paid tribute to Song following the news of his death.
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“This is mad… Jae-lim… you were such a cheerful guy… I can’t believe this. I’m so sorry for not contacting you or caring for you enough,” actor Park Ho-san said alongside a photo taken with Song posted on Instagram.
In another Instagram post, actor Hong Seok-cheon said: “I’m sad that I can’t see your wonderful smile again… I’m so sorry, rest in peace.”
The recent deaths of K-pop idols and K-drama stars have highlighted ongoing concerns about mental health and industry pressures in South Korea’s entertainment industry.
ASTRO boy band member Moon bin died last year at age 25. K-pop singer and actress Sulli was also 25 when she died in 2019. And two years earlier, boyband SHINee’s Kim Jong-hyun was found dead at his home at age 27.
Entertainment agencies have implemented various mental health support systems, including counseling services and more flexible schedules, but observers say the highly competitive nature of K-entertainment, combined with intense public scrutiny, and expectations of perfection in appearance and behavior, are affecting stars.