Veteran Korean actor Park Dong-bin found dead at restaurant he planned to open, aged 56

Veteran actor Park Dong-bin, best known online for a viral meme moment, was found dead on Wednesday at a restaurant he had been preparing to open in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. He was 56.

According to Pyeongtaek Police Station, an acquaintance assisting with the new business discovered his body around 4:25 p.m. in the Jangan-dong area. Authorities said there were no signs of forced entry or foul play, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death are ongoing, according to Korea Times.

Park rose to internet fame after a memorable scene in the 2012 MBC drama It Was Love, in which his character spits out orange juice in shock. The clip went viral and earned him the nickname “Juice Guy” among fans.

Born Park Jong-moon in 1970, he made his acting debut in the 1998 film Shiri. Over the years, he built a steady career across film and television, appearing in titles such as Volcano High, How to Keep My Love and The Huntresses, as well as dramas including Rustic Period, Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin and The Great Wives.

He married actress Lee Sang-yi, who is 12 years younger, in February 2020. He is survived by his wife and their daughter.

His wake is being held at VIP Room 5 of the Domin Funeral Hall in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, with funeral services scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Friday. His remains will then be taken through the Yongin Forest of Peace before burial at Woosung Memorial Park.