South Korean Actor Song Jae-lim Dies at 39

South Korean actor Song Jae-lim, a former model who rose to prominence in K-dramas, was found dead at his home in Seoul on Tuesday. He was 39.

Police sources said that Song’s body was found in Seoul’s Seongdong Ward at around 12:30 p.m. by a friend who had plans to have lunch with him, according to Korean media reports.

The cause of death was not revealed, but the sources said that there were no apparent signs of foul play. A note was discovered in the scene.

“Our initial investigation so far, has revealed no signs of criminal activity,” police said in a statement. “Since the family did not want an autopsy, we will proceed with transferring the deceased to his family’s custody.” 

Police added that they will investigate the cause of the death following standard procedures.

Born in 1985, Song (whose name is also written as Song Jae-rim) began his entertainment career with the 2009 film “Actresses.”

He gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of a royal guard in the 2012 historical drama “Moon Embracing the Sun,” in which he appeared in 20 episodes.

He later gained further popularity while appearing in the 2014 reality show “We Got Married", appearing in 38 episodes.

Among Song’s final appearances was in the musical “La Rose De Versailles,” which ended in October and playing a leading role in action-comedy film “Get Rich,” directed by Yang Tae-jin.

It is understood to have started post-production in late September.

Song on Tuesday, left one final message for fans. He made his final Instagram post about 10 months ago, which included his own mirror selfies. 

After that, his account fell mostly dormant, except for in the weeks leading up to his death where his official name was changed to - translated from Korean - "the beginning of a long journey."

Comments on his posts were restricted, barring fan from asking further questions. 

The actor’s family told Yonhap News Agency that they wished to hold a small funeral involving only family members.

The funeral will take place on November 14.