Ahn Jae-hwan, an actor and husband of popular comedian Jung Sun-hee, was found dead inside a car Monday in what appears to be a suicide, police said.
Police found a suicide note next to him with two burnt charcoal briquettes inside the Carnival minivan parked in a residential district in northern Seoul. Investigators suspect he killed himself by inhaling toxic gas from the burning briquettes.
"He is believed to have died from smoke inhalation, but we will have to examine the details," Sup Young-choon, a police officer at the Nowon Police Station, was quoted as saying by Yonhap News.
A truck driver delivering beverages to nearby stores, identified as Yeo In-gyu, found the car and called the police around 9:10 a.m., police said. The vehicle, which was rental, had been there for days, raising the possibility that Ahn may have died a few days earlier.
"The black Grand Carnival that was parked on the sidewalk came into my sight. I looked in and saw the body of a man lying on the back seat," Yeo was quoted as saying.
Ahn's body was taken to a nearby hospital for further investigation.
Ahn, 37, who tied the knot with popular comedian and emcee Jung last November, had reportedly suffered setbacks from private business failure and deteriorating health. The actor recently quit emceeing a live music program on cable channel ETN after he failed to show up several times.
Jung, currently hosting a popular MBC radio noon music program, did not appear for Monday's program.
Ahn's death came as a shock for many, who remember his guileless smile and straight talk that gave him an air of youthful cheer. Stars' suicide have usually been linked with depression at a young age.
Source: The Korea Times, more & pics at dramabeans.com
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/natio.../113_30721.html
