South Korean actor Park Dong-bin found dead at 56, probe underway

Veteran South Korean actor Park Dong-bin, who was widely known 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, in Gyeonggi Province. Local authorities said an acquaintance who was helping him with the business found him at about 4.25 pm in the Jangan-dong area.

Officials at Pyeongtaek Police Station said there were no immediate signs of foul play, and no suicide note was found at the scene. The exact cause of death has not been confirmed, and an investigation into the circumstances is under way. A wake has been arranged at Anseong Civic Funeral Hall in Gyeonggi Province, and the funeral is scheduled for 8.30 am on Friday. His remains will then be taken to Yongin Forest of Peace before burial at Woosung Memorial Park.

Park 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 warmly about his child, who had earlier undergone surgery for a congenital heart condition.

Born in 1970, Park began his screen career in the 1990s and gained recognition with the 1998 film Shiri. Over the years, he appeared in films including Ginkgo Bed, Volcano High, How to Keep My Love, The Huntresses, It Can Be Done, Dancheolbiyeon-su and The Flag of the Taegukgi. He was also seen in television dramas such as Rustic Period, The Age of Rebellion, Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin, Sungkyunkwan Scandal, All About Kimchi, The Great Wife and Enemies From a Past Life.

He also became an internet sensation after a scene in the MBC drama I Love You, I'm Sorry, in which his character spat out orange juice in shock, spread widely on social media. The moment earned him the nickname 'Juice Uncle' and made him familiar to many online users. Park's death has now brought renewed attention to both his long acting career and the viral scene for which he was widely remembered.