South Korean actor Lee Yong-joo dies at 44 after cardiac arrest, Blue Tower co-stars pay emotional tributes

South Korean actor Lee Yong-joo, remembered for his role as a rookie soldier in the 2013 tvN military sitcom Blue Tower, has died aged 44.

News of his death was followed by an emotional tribute from fellow Blue Tower actor Kim Ho-chang, who shared a group photograph of the cast and crew on social media on Sunday.

The photograph featured Kim alongside Song Young-jae and Baek Bong-ki, as well as producer Min Jin-ki. In his caption, Kim recalled a recent conversation with Lee, who had encouraged him to continue acting despite Kim telling him he was considering quitting.

“Ho-chang, you’ll do well. Please, as the youngest among the Blue Tower family, don’t give up and go all the way. My intuition is good,” Lee had told him.

Kim responded: “I’ll trust you, hyung (an affectionate term for older brother), and I’ll go all the way. I hope you aren’t in pain there and that you’re happy.”

Lee died from cardiac arrest on Saturday (Aug 29), according to Chosun Daily. The South Korean media platform reported that a close friend of the actor, whose name and profile remain anonymous, shared news of his death on social media, describing the sudden announcement as “still hard to believe”.

His death has also brought renewed attention to Lee’s previously disclosed heart condition.

Earlier this year, the actor appeared on the YouTube channel of fellow actor Lee Jong-hyuk, where he discussed having “some issues” with his heart. He also said he had been exempted from mandatory military service because of the condition.

While Korean media have reported that Lee had been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, reports have not established a direct link between his hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and his death.

Lee’s career began in modelling before he moved into acting. He made his acting debut with a minor role in the 2004 film Doma Ahn Jung-geun.

He later appeared in television productions including Princess Hours, Rude Miss Young-ae and Two Women's Room, among others.

His breakthrough came with Blue Tower, where he played a clumsy rookie soldier in the military sitcom. The role brought him wider recognition and became one of his best-known performances.

Lee later returned to the military drama genre, appearing in the 2022 series New Recruit.