Lee Yong Joo Passed Away Due to Cardiac Arrest, Here is His Medical History

Kapanlagi.com - Actor Lee Yong Joo, known for Princess Hours (2006) and the tvN sitcom Blue Tower (2013), passed away at the age of 44. He took his last breath on Saturday (29/8) due to cardiac arrest, as reported by Chosun Daily.

Earlier this year, Lee Yong Joo was a guest on the YouTube channel of actor Lee Jong-hyuk. During the occasion, he talked about his heart condition that exempted him from military service in South Korea.

Several Korean media outlets reported that Lee was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart muscle thickens abnormally. However, reports have not confirmed a direct link between this condition and the cause of his death.

1. Memories of Blue Tower Colleagues for Lee Yong Joo

After the sad news broke, actor Kim Ho Chang, Lee Yong Joo's colleague in Blue Tower, uploaded a photo of former colleagues together on social media on Sunday (30/8) as a final tribute. In the photo, actors Song Young-jae and Baek Bong-ki, as well as producer Min Jin-ki, can be seen.

In his caption, Kim Ho Chang reminisced about the moment when he expressed his intention to quit acting to the late Lee. At that time, Lee encouraged him.

“Ho Chang, you can do it. As the youngest in the Blue Tower family, don’t give up and keep moving forward. My intuition is good,” wrote Lee, as quoted by Kim Ho Chang.

Kim Ho Chang then responded to the memory through his post.

“I will trust you, hyung, and I will keep moving forward. I hope you are not in pain there and are happy,” he wrote.

2. The Career Path of Lee Yong Joo

Lee Yong Joo started his career as a model before making his acting debut with a small role in the film Doma Ahn Jung-geun in 2004.

His name later appeared in several television drama titles, including Princess Hours, Rude Miss Young-ae, and Two Women's Room, which expanded his recognition on screen.

His popularity increased thanks to the clumsy rookie soldier character in the military sitcom Blue Tower (2013), one of the most memorable roles in his career. Lee also made a return in the military-themed drama New Recruit in 2022.

(kpl/jje)