Veteran South Korean actor Park Dong-bin, widely recognised online as the viral 'Juice Uncle', has died at the age of 56.
He was found unresponsive on Wednesday at a restaurant he had been preparing to open in Pyeongtaek, located in Gyeonggi Province.
According to local authorities, an acquaintance assisting him with the new business discovered his body around 4:25 p.m. in the Jangan-dong area.
Officials from the Pyeongtaek Police Station said there were no immediate signs of foul play, and no suicide note was found.
The exact cause of death has not yet been determined, and investigations into the circumstances are ongoing.
A funeral wake has been arranged at the Anseong Civic Funeral Hall in Gyeonggi Province. The funeral is scheduled to take place at 8:30 a.m. on Friday.
His remains will be taken to the Yongin Forest of Peace before burial at Woosung Memorial Park.
Background
Park Dong-bin is survived by his wife, actress Lee Sang-yi, whom he married in February 2020, and their daughter. In a recent television appearance, he spoke about his affection for his child, who had previously undergone surgery for a congenital heart condition.
Born in 1970, Park began his acting career with the 1998 film Shiri. Over the years, he appeared in several films, including Volcano High, How to Keep My Love and The Huntresses, as well as television series such as Rustic Period, Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin and The Great Wives.
He also became a viral internet sensation after a scene from the 2012 MBC drama I Love You, I'm Sorry gained widespread attention. In the clip, his character spits out orange juice in shock-a moment that circulated widely on social media and earned him the nickname 'Juice Guy'.
