Song Yoo-jung, South Korean actress from Dear My Name and Golden Rainbow, passes away at 26 years old
- The actress was found dead in Seoul on Saturday at just 26 years of age
- While no cause of death was given, there has been a rash of suicides among young performers in their 20s in recent years.
- The actress started her career as a performer when she was 20 years old, appearing in commercials for Estee Lauder, Baskin-Robbins
- Aside from her acting work, she was an advocate for people with disabilities, serving as an advocate for a South Korean initiative dubbed Warm Accompaniment
The South Korean entertainment community is in mourning, as they mourn the loss of rising star Song Yoo-jung.
The 26-year-old actress was found dead in Seoul on Saturday, and while no cause of death was given, The New York Times notes there have been an alarming amount of suicides by young entertainers in the country.
Her death was confirmed by representatives at her talent agency, Sublime Artist Agency on Monday.
Mourning: The South Korean entertainment community is in mourning, as they mourn the loss of rising star Song Yoo-jung
The actress’ agency confirmed a private funeral ceremony already took place, with a funeral procession taking place on Monday.
‘Song Yu Jung was a friend of ours who always gave us joy with her bright smile, and she was a wonderful actress who acted with passion,’ the statement read.
The actress started her career as a performer when she was 20 years old, appearing in commercials for Estee Lauder, Baskin-Robbins.
Commercials: The actress started her career as a performer when she was 20 years old, appearing in commercials for Estee Lauder, Baskin-Robbins and numerous music videos
She appeared as Han Da-Won in the series Make A Wish and her true breakout came in 2019 with the web series Dear My Name.
In that series she played a ‘fresh-faced’ architecture student who was searching for her soulmate.
Her other roles included the TV series Golden Rainbow, among many other projects including numerous music videos.
Breakout: She appeared as Han Da-Won in the series Make A Wish and her true breakout came in 2019 with the web series Dear My Name
Aside from her acting work, she was an advocate for people with disabilities, serving as an advocate for a South Korean initiative dubbed Warm Accompaniment.
If her death is ultimately confirmed as a suicide, it would be just the latest in a string of young South Korean entertainers in their 20s who have taken their own lives.
The South Korean suicide problem is not just limited to the entertainment industry, with its suicide rate the highest of the 37 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Advocate: Aside from her acting work, she was an advocate for people with disabilities, serving as an advocate for a South Korean initiative dubbed Warm Accompaniment
In recent years, there have been a rash of suicides among K-pop artists, including singers Kim Jong-hyun in 2017.
Sulli, another K-pop star, took her own life at age 25 in 2019, after she faced relentless cyberbullying after joining a feminist campaign that advocated not wearing bras.
For those who are contemplating suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.
Suicides: In recent years, there have been a rash of suicides among K-pop artists, including singers Kim Jong-hyun in 2017