It was a sad day when Lee Eon, most known for his role in the drama Coffee Prince, died in a motorcycle accident last August. Now a book is being published posthumously, featuring Lee’s own writing and music, called Twenty-seven, Burying Youth. The model-turned-actor, born Park Sang-min, died at the age of 27.

Also, as February 5 is Lee’s birthday (born in 1981, he would have been 28), family and friends gathered to commemorate the day at a Kangnam café. Attendees included actors Lee Chun-hee (Good Sunday’s Chunderella), Joo Ji-hoon (Antique Bakery), his Coffee Prince co-star Kim Jae-wook, Koyote singer Bbaek Ga, and model Jang Yoon-ju.

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Read the rest of Remembering Lee Eon through his youth (246 words)

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Post tags: books, deaths, Jang Yoon-ju, Joo Ji-hoon, Kim Jae-wook, Lee Chun-hee, Lee Eon

Cable channel O’live TV hosted its first Style Icon Awards on the night of October 30, and a parade of stars turned out on the “orange carpet” for the event. Held at Club Answer in the upscale Seoul neighborhood of Cheongdamdong, the event awarded select members from not only entertainment sphere to honor as icons, but also some from society and the arts.

Actor Jung Jun-ho (The Last Scandal of My Life) acted as host, and awards were handed out to stars like Rain, above (Style Icon of the Year), Jung Ryeo-won, Park Tae-hwan, Sohn Ye-jin, and more.

 
SONG OF THE DAY

Rain – “사랑이라는 건” (The thing called love), from his recent 5th album, “Rainism.” I don’t love or hate the album — the third was really my favorite, and I was not impressed with anything after that — but it has a few nice tracks, like this one (I tend to prefer the songs Rain doesn’t release as singles.)
[ Download ]

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Read the rest of O’live’s inaugural Style Icon Awards (1,222 words)

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Post tags: awards, Big Bang, cable programs, Choi Ji-ho, fashion, Hwang Bo, Jang Yoon-ju, Jung Hye-young, Jung Jun-ho, Jung Ryeo-won, Lee Eon, Lee Jung-jae, Park Tae-hwan, Rain, Seo In-young, Sohn Ye-jin

Gong Yoo, friend and Coffee Prince co-star to Lee Eon, was late (but not absent) to pay his farewell addresses to the recently deceased actor, because he’s currently serving active military duty.

On the 22nd, he wrote a message on his personal homepage offering both a goodbye and an apology to his colleague, featuring a picture of Lee Eon from Coffee Prince days. The note read:

“It’s strange. The night before you left us, I happened to listen again to the note you read on the radio for me to listen to while I was in training. So I thought of you suddenly, and I missed you, and I wanted to call — I should have called. I should’ve nagged you, too, to change that persistent ringtone. I’m sorry.”

Gong Yoo arrived at the hospital’s funeral room a little after midnight on August 23. His other Coffee Prince co-stars Yoon Eun-hye, Lee Seon-kyun, Chae Jung-ahn, Kim Jae-wook, Han Ye-in, and others all visited the previous day.

Via Hankyung.com, Edaily.com

 
RELATED POSTS

• More stars pay their respects to deceased colleague
• Stars mourn Lee Eon
• Lee Eon dies in accident

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Post tags: Gong Yoo, Lee Eon, star accidents

Okay, I think I’m done posting pics of stars visiting Lee Eon’s funeral room. If more information comes to light, I’m on it, but until then we’re just going to be getting photos of grieving folks, which is probably gratuitous.

I know it sounds hypocritical for me to dislike the photos and then post them. However, I do think it’s a matter of interest — just up to a point. When it starts feeling gratuitous, I step back.

Below are Strongest Chil Woo co-stars Eric, Gu Hye-sun, and Kim Byul. More pics beyond the jump.

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Read the rest of More stars pay their respects to deceased colleague (366 words)

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Post tags: Chae Jung-ahn, Eric, Girls Generation, Gu Hye-sun, I Am a Model, Jang Yoon-ju, Joo Ji-hoon, Kim Byul, Kim Sung-soo, Lee Chun-hee, Lee Eon, Lee Min-ki, Lee Yoon-jung, Oh Ji-ho, star accidents

As previously reported, actor Lee Eon’s sudden death early on the morning of August 21 has proved a shock to the entertainment community.

Celebrities came garbed in funeral blacks to pay their respects to their deceased colleague/co-star/friend at the mortuary area in the hospital where the deceased’s body is being kept until the funeral service. Yoon Eun-hye arrived in tears at Seoul’s Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital, as did fellow Coffee Prince co-star Kim Jae-wook, who appears to still be stunned, reportedly sobbing as he kept his face hidden behind his hair. (Pics of the stars, and in particular Kim Jae-wook, make me feel uncomfortably voyeuristic; I admit to an interest in seeing pics, but not when they are clearly intrusive in such a raw moment.)

His co-star from drama Strongest Chil Woo, actor Yoo Ah-in, also showed up, grim-faced. If you’re wondering why certain people haven’t yet paid their respects, I’m sure they’ll be making their way to the funeral area as they learn about the accident today. I haven’t seen pics of the rest of his Chil Woo castmates, but apparently they were among the earliest to receive word. Eric received the phone call at 3am and headed directly to the hospital, along with cast and crew members, including Gu Hye-sun and PD Park Man-young.

Yoon Eun-hye with her party; Yoo Ah-in

 
Others who came by were former co-star Ryu Deok-hwan, and supermodel Park Dool-seon. (She is one of the main stars of modeling reality show I Am a Model, which Lee Eon was involved with; he had also reportedly dated supermodel Jang Yoon-joo, one of Park Dool-seon’s colleagues.)

His mother understandably was in a huge state of shock, and apparently still in denial; she resisted being led to the funeral room, wanting to go to a hospital room instead, as though unable to digest the truth.

Also, a report was issued contradicting early beliefs that the accident occurred on Lee Eon’s way home after the Chil Woo wrap party. A new report suggests that Lee Eon had already arrived home, then left again, after which he was in the accident. Some sources speculate that he had been on the way to the club where he had worked as a DJ. I’m sure these details will be sorted out in due time.

As to questions of his sobriety at the time of his death, police have stated that tests will be conducted to determine whether he was drunk, but will not have the results for approximately a week. Lee Eon is, however, reported to not be much of a drinker.

PD Lee Yoon-jung, who’d directed Lee Eon in Coffee Prince, also shared her words of grief, saying, “I don’t know what to say. I plan to pay my respects tonight. Lee Eon had a special passion for acting and was always a source of support for staff on the film set. He was a good person.”

The funeral service is planned for August 23. Other details as yet unconfirmed.

Kim Jae-wook, Park Dool-seon, Ilac

Via Yonhap News, Newsen

RELATED POSTS

• Lee Eon dies in accident

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Post tags: deaths, Eric, Kim Jae-wook, Lee Eon, Lee Yoon-jung, star accidents, Yoo Ah-in, Yoon Eun-hye

Oh, man.

Model-turned-actor Lee Eon (also spelled Lee Un, most famously of Coffee Prince) has died in a motorcycle accident.

The 27-year-old, born Park Sang-min, was on his way home following the wrap party for KBS’s Strongest Chil Woo early on the morning of August 21. He was riding a motorcycle and ran into the guardrail of the overpass, and is said to have died almost immediately.

The news has shocked everyone; online, netizens are abuzz in disbelief. Just the night before, he had been onscreen in Chil Woo’s finale episode, and the sudden news is, to say the least, startling.

Lee Eon got his start modeling, but shot to mainstream levels of fame when he took on the role of simple-hearted but lovable Min Yub in last year’s Coffee Prince. He followed that with a stint as a cable-TV MC, then returned to dramas with Who Are You? and, most recently, Strongest Chil Woo.

RIP.

Via CBS.co.kr

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• Strongest Chil Woo: Episodes 1 & 2
• A few more points for Chil Woo
• Lee Eon dishes the latest fashion advice
• Who Are You?: Episodes 1 & 2
• Shameless Prince eye candy
• Coffee Prince Store #1

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Post tags: Lee Eon, star accidents

Is it just me, or does the cast of Strongest Chil Woo look like they just stepped out of the pages of a Sears catalog (come see the softer side!)? With a hangover? Such pretty ladies, such unflattering styling.

Anyway, when I first heard about this upcoming fusion historical series, I was kinda tired of the genre and the concept. But now that Iljimae has started and utterly lost me a mere three episodes in — though I seem to one of the vast minority who took the red pill on that one — I’m actually starting to look forward to Chil Woo. It looks like a total fluff drama — but at least a fun one. And at the end of the day, I want entertainment.

The cast had their press day on June 4 in Seoul, and those in attendance included stars Eric (aka Moon Jong Hyuk) and Gu Hye Sun, as well as supporting actors Lee Eon, Kim Byul, Yoo Ah In, Im Ha Ryong and Jeon No Min.

The drama airs next week on June 9 on KBS2. Here’s the preview trailer — anyone else feeling shades of Back to the Future with the makeshift boarding?

Via JK News

SONG OF THE DAY

Kim Dong Wan feat. Eric – “Honey” from his current (second) solo album. [ Download ]

RELATED POSTS

• From uljjang to actress to writer-director
• A few more points for Chil Woo…
• Moon Geun Young returns to dramas; the sageuk revival continues
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Post tags: Eric, Gu Hye-sun, Kim Byul, Lee Eon, press conferences, Strongest Chil Woo