'Blue Tower' actor Lee Yong-joo passes away at 44
South Korean actor Lee Yong-joo, who is known for his role in the drama series Blue Tower, has passed away at the age of 44 due to a heart attack.
According to The Chosun Daily, a close acquaintance of the actor shared that Yong-joo died from the illness on Aug. 29, writing, "The sudden news is still hard to believe."
"My dear friend Yong-joo, who was always on my side. I still cannot believe you are gone. Please rest peacefully there without any worries. We will definitely meet again," they added.
In a past interview, Yong-joo had previously opened up about his struggles with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic heart condition where the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively.
This led him to skip undergoing mandatory military service in his country.
"I was exempted because of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a rare disease. I underwent a physical examination and was granted an exemption," he said at the time, per The Times of India.
He also shared that he had possibly inherited his condition from his mother, who had also been hospitalized due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
"The hospital said there was a high chance it could be inherited, so my sister and I were tested. I was the only one who had the same condition as my mother," he said.
Yong-joo will be laid to rest on Aug. 31 at the Seongnam City Funeral Culture Center.
After making his debut in a minor role in the 2004 film An Jung-geun’s Altar, he rose to prominence through the series Hello Franceska, Uncontrollably Fond, and Two Women’s Room.
He further cemented his career in showbiz through Blue Tower, where he portrayed a clumsy new recruit in the military.