On the afternoon of November 12, all of Asia was shaken by the sudden news of Song Jae-rim’s passing. The actor’s funeral will take place at the Yeouido St. Mary Funeral Hall at 12 PM on November 14. He was 39 years old. According to the police, the actor was found deceased in an apartment in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, and a two-page A4-sized suicide note was discovered at the scene.
On the same day, Song Jae-rim’s former agency told TV Daily:’ “We have no knowledge of his plans after his exclusive contract expired earlier this year.”
However, following the news of Song Jae-rim’s death, online “cyber wreckers” began spreading groundless rumors about the cause of his death, which has drawn widespread criticism. Speculative posts and rumors about his personal life before his passing are continuing to circulate, adding to the tragedy.
Song Jae-rim, born in 1985, initially started as a model before venturing into acting with his debut film Actresses in 2009. Just one year later, he gained wider recognition with a supporting role in the popular Korean drama Secret Garden, which captivated Asian audiences. Despite having a minor role, his natural acting earned him much praise. His breakthrough came with the megahit The Moon Embracing the Sun, which achieved over 40% average ratings and resonated widely across Asia.
In this drama, Song Jae-rim played Kim Jae-woon, the loyal guard of Lee Hwon. Though his screen time was limited compared to leads Kim Soo-hyun and Jung Il-woo, Jae-woon’s character received much love from audiences for his sharp gaze, cool demeanor, and stunning action scenes. Riding this success, Song Jae-rim worked hard to break away from secondary roles and solidified his acting prowess as a lead in Nail Shop Paris, Fantasy Tower, Unkind Ladies, Drama Stage Season 3: Big Data Romance, Blood Riding Love, and more. Before his passing, he had appeared in a total of 26 dramas, 11 films, one web project, and had another movie in the pipeline.
The actor also gained popularity through his appearance on the reality show We Got Married alongside actress Kim So-eun, who praised him highly and admitted he was her ideal boyfriend type.
Fans are in disbelief at the shocking news of his death, as Song Jae-rim had been actively engaged in various projects in 2024. He starred in two dramas, Queen Woo and My Military Valentine, and recently wrapped up his performance in the musical The Rose of Versailles last month. Additionally, he was scheduled to appear in an upcoming project, Death Business. He participated in all script readings for these projects and showed no apparent signs of mental distress.
Regarding Death Business, the film tells the story of a group of young criminals who try to exploit reward money meant for the elderly, children, and disabled individuals. However, they suffer a business failure and are forced to close down. Unexpectedly, they receive Series A funding through virtual currency from a mysterious organization, which ultimately leads them to an inescapable fate. The movie has finished post-production and was set to air by the end of 2024. Tragically, it will now be Song Jae-rim’s final work.
On his SNS account, Song Jae-rim’s last post was made 41 weeks ago. The actor’s final post, from March last year, had comments disabled and his account name changed to “A Long Journey Begins,” making the sudden news even more heartbreaking for fans.
Source: Daum, K14
