The South Korean entertainment industry is currently mourning the loss of actor Park Dong-bin. He was found dead by an acquaintance on April 29 inside a restaurant in Pyeongtaek, which he was preparing to open soon. He was 56.
The cause of death is currently under investigation. Meanwhile, local authorities told The Korea Times that there is no sign of foul play, nor was a suicide note found.
Park Dong-bin is survived by his wife Lee Sang-yi and their 3-year-old daughter. Lee is an actress and a former member of the MBC network’s 30th Public Recruitment Talent Hunt.
The Gap Dong star’s demise comes amid his daughter’s ongoing health battles. The toddler previously underwent surgery due to a congenital heart defect.
All you need to know about Park Dong-bin’s family
Park Dong-bin, whose real name was Park Jong-moon, first met Lee Sang-yi on the sets of MBC’s Wensus in My Life in 2018 and began dating soon after. They tied the knot two years later.
Their daughter, Park Ji-yoo, arrived in January 2023 via in vitro fertilisation. The following year, the couple appeared on Channel A’s Gold Consultation. Park Dong-bin spoke about his daughter’s medical issues which impacted her mobility:
“During the seventh month of pregnancy, she was diagnosed with congenital complex heart defects. The condition, known as left ventricular hypoplasia syndrome, involves the failure of the left ventricle and aorta to develop properly. Without a heart transplant or staged surgeries, the condition is fatal. We opted for staged surgeries, and the third procedure has been completed.”
The actor further told the host, Oh Eun-young, that his newborn underwent her first surgery four days after birth. He continued:
“I am happy to have given birth to a child, but lately I find myself thinking about numbers. When my daughter enters middle school, I will be 66. I once took my daughter somewhere, and someone said, ‘Ji-yoo, your grandfather came last week.’ I worry that this might hurt my daughter in the future… I’m worried about whether I can take responsibility for my family until the end.”
Meanwhile, Lee called Park a “doting father.”
They celebrated the daughter’s first birthday with pomp and show, in the presence of close friends and family.
According to mk.co.kr, Park Dong-bin’s wife is 12 years younger than him. She is known for her roles in MBC dramas such as The Fantastic Couple and Jumong. Lee Sang-yi also appeared in the KBS2 show, Ulala Couple. Elsewhere, the woman runs a leather workshop in Hongdae, Seoul.
Park Dong-bin’s IMDb says he was born in South Korea in October 1969 and attended Chung-Ang University’s School of Theater and Film. He made his screen debut in the 1996 movie A Bank Tree Bed, followed by Shiri in 1998.
Since then, he has landed notable gigs on The Age of Wild Men, Sungkyunkwan Scandal, The Huntress, Zombie Detective, Mushin, King and I, The Relationship of the Sky, Mission: Kidnap the Top Star, and Secret Investigation Team of Joseon.
However, Dong-bin rose to fame for spitting out orange juice after hearing shocking news in the 2012 soap opera I Must Have Loved You and earned the nickname Mr Juice or Juice Uncle.
Park Dong-bin’s memorial was held at the Do-min Funeral Hall in Anseong, Gyeonggi, while the funeral is scheduled for May 1 at the U-seong Park Cemetery. His other survivors include a younger brother and two older sisters.
Edited by Pallavi K