Cause of actor’s death remains unclear
Mystery continued Wednesday over the cause of a car accident that killed actor Kim Joo-hyuk on Monday in southern Seoul.
He drove a Mercedes SUV when it sideswiped a Grandeur sedan at 4:30 p.m., crashed into a wall in an I-Park apartment complex, rolled down some steps and flipped over. He was taken to a nearby hospital but died two hours later.
Police continued their investigation Wednesday, reviewing black box footage and speaking with relatives and acquaintances.
On Tuesday, the National Forensic Service said a skull fracture was the cause of death but is conducting additional tests to confirm it.
According to the black box footage, he sideswiped the Grandeur sedan once and stopped briefly. Then, he suddenly sped up toward the apartment complex, going off the road and crashing.
Speaking with the police, the Grandeur driver testified the actor seemed to be having major chest pains when he collided with his vehicle, with his chest leaning toward the steering wheel.
His friends and relatives dismissed the possibility of a heart attack, saying he was generally in good shape, not even drinking alcohol.
But, on Wednesday morning, the Dong-A Ilbo reported that the suspected side effects of medication may have caused the crash, quoting an acquaintance of Kim.
The acquaintance said he was on medication for almost a month prior to the accident. The type of medication was unknown but Dong-A wrote the pill was prescribed for stress and related skin problems. It also said the medication could cause nausea, headaches, tiredness and cramping among other side effects.
The police confirmed he had an appointment with a dermatologist later that day and spoke with the doctor two hours before the accident.
Kim’s memorial altar at Asan Medical Center was busy Wednesday. His girlfriend, actress Lee Yoo-young, reportedly received people offering consolations. From Wednesday afternoon, the memorial altar was open to his fans.
Born in 1972, the actor debuted in 1998. He is expected to be buried in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, today.