Song Jae-rim, actor in The Moon Embracing the Sun, died at 39

Song Jae-rim, the South Korean actor best known for MBC’s The Moon Embracing the Sun, was found dead at his home in Seongdong District, Seoul, around 12:30 p.m. on 12 November 2024. He was 39. Seongdong police said there was no evidence of foul play, and no cause of death was made public.

Cause of death: what police and his family said

An official at Seoul Seongdong Police Station told reporters that there was no evidence of foul play. Police did not disclose a cause of death.

His family told Yonhap News Agency that they wanted a small funeral attended only by family members.

Song Jae-rim’s funeral

The funeral was held at Yeouido St. Mary’s Funeral Hall in Seoul. His coffin was carried out at noon on Thursday, 14 November 2024.

Song Jae-rim drama list

He was born in Seoul on 18 February 1985. His screen career began with the film Actresses in 2009, and within a year he had a small part in SBS’s Secret Garden. The role that made him widely recognised came in 2012, when he played Kim Jae-woon in The Moon Embracing the Sun. His last drama was Queen Woo in 2024, in which he played Go Pae-eui.

Crypto Man, the film released after his death

Crypto Man opened in Korean cinemas on 15 January 2025, two months after he died. He had finished it beforehand. He plays the lead, Yang Do-hyun, a self-styled business genius who creates a virtual currency called MOMMY.

We Got Married and the stage

Outside drama, he was a cast member on the fourth season of MBC’s We Got Married across 2014 and 2015, paired with Kim So-eun. In 2024 he worked on stage, and his final performance in the musical La Rose de Versailles was on 13 October, a month before his death.

Questions people ask

What was Song Jae-rim’s cause of death? Police did not disclose one. They said only that there was no evidence of foul play.

How old was Song Jae-rim when he died? He was 39.

Who did Song Jae-rim play in The Moon Embracing the Sun? Kim Jae-woon, in the 2012 MBC historical drama.

What was his last film? Crypto Man, released in January 2025.

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