Park Young-gyu Recounts Heartbreaking Loss of Son: 'Bought Land So I Wouldn't Have to Leave Him in a Columbarium'

Actor Park Young-gyu shared a deeply moving story about his son, who tragically passed away in a traffic accident in 2004, during his appearance on the KBS 2TV variety show 'Problem Child in House' on the 11th. Overcome with emotion, Park struggled to speak as he recalled the sudden death of his son while studying abroad.

The profound grief led him to halt his acting career for seven years. Reflecting on that dark period, Park confessed, "I thought my fate had ended right there. I let go of everything and left Korea for Canada, waiting only for the day I would die." He further expressed, "I didn't want to live; I wanted to escape the boundaries of life."

Most poignantly, Park revealed he purchased approximately 300 pyeong (about 990 square meters) of land for his son. He explained, "My dream was to earn money and let my son live in a spacious house," and shared that he bought the land because he didn't want to leave his son's remains in a columbarium, a revelation that deeply touched the audience.

Park Young-gyu, born in 1958, debuted as an actor in 1978 through TBC's 7th talent recruitment and is renowned for his comedic roles. He garnered significant popularity for his memorable performances in sitcoms like 'Soonpoong Clinic' and the 'High Kick!' series. He had one son, whom he tragically lost in 2004 due to a traffic accident.