'Juice Uncle' actor Park Dong-bin passes away… found dead at a restaurant he was preparing to open

Actor Park Dong-bin (56; birth name Park Jong-mun), familiar to the public as the character 'Juice Uncle' in the drama 'I Wonder If You Loved Me,' has passed away. Having devoted his life to acting, he left this world while he was on the brink of opening a restaurant—his dream from childhood—just ahead of his 30th debut anniversary next year, adding to the heartbreak.

■ Discovered in a restaurant in Pyeongtaek he was preparing to open… Police: “No grounds for suspicion”

According to the Pyeongtaek Police Station in Gyeonggi Province on the 30th, Park Dong-bin was found dead inside a restaurant within a commercial building in Jang-an-dong, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi Province, at around 4:25 p.m. the previous day. An acquaintance, the first person to discover him, reported to the police. At the scene, no evidence suggesting criminal wrongdoing or a note implying an extreme choice, such as a suicide note, was found.

The location of the incident was confirmed to be the Korean restaurant 'Boritturak,' where Park Dong-bin had been preparing the interior and menu himself with an opening targeted for early May. Just days earlier, on the 24th, he had also shared, through a media interview, “I’m getting to take on the food-service business, which was a dream from my childhood,” revealing a thrilling, excited heart. In that context, the sudden news of his passing is delivering a major shock to the entertainment industry and fans.

■ From 'Doks a' to 'Juice Uncle'… A life of a 30-year scene-stealer

Born in 1970, the late actor graduated from the Department of Theater and Film at Chung-Ang University, and debuted in 1996 with the film 'The Bed of Pine Tree.' After that, he became known to audiences by appearing in major works such as Director Kang Je-gyu’s 'Shiri' and 'Taegeukgi: The Brotherhood of War.'

In particular, he left a strong impression as 'Doks a' in the drama 'The Age of the Bad Guys.' In 2012, in the drama 'I Wonder If You Loved Me,' he stirred explosive online buzz and even earned the nickname 'Juice Uncle' through the so-called 'juice-spitting' scene in which, after hearing a secret about his daughter’s birth, he spits out the orange juice he had been holding in his mouth.

■ Leaving behind a young daughter as a late child… “May you rest peacefully in the sky”

Surviving him are his wife, the actress Lee Sang-i, and his late-born daughter, Ms. Ji-yu. The two met on the 2017 drama 'Enemies from a Previous Life' and married in 2020. Last year, he appeared on 'Oh Eun-young’s Golden Counseling Center (Geumddok Counseling Center)' and showed tender fatherly love for his daughter, who had to undergo surgery immediately after birth due to a congenital heart condition, bringing viewers’ eyes to well up with tears as well.

On hearing the news of his passing, leaving behind his young daughter who is 3 years old and his wife, fellow actors and netizens are continuing their condolences, saying, “He was always so full of passion, and it’s hard to believe,” “I will never forget the laughter of 'Juice Uncle,'” and “We offer our condolences and wish the deceased peace.”

His wake was set up in Room VIP 5 at the VIPDomanare funeral hall in Anseong-si, Gyeonggi Province, and the departure for the burial will be at 8:30 a.m. on May 1. The final resting place is expected to be at the U-seong Park cemetery after passing through Yongin Peaceful Forest.