Remembering Actor 판영진 on the 10th Anniversary of His Passing

June 22, 2025, marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of actor 판영진, who tragically ended his life after battling depression and financial struggles. He was found deceased on June 22, 2015, at 11:45 PM in his car parked in the front yard of his home in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, at the age of 58.

A local resident discovered him and alerted emergency services. At the scene, 판영진 was seated in the driver's seat, with a used charcoal briquette on the passenger side. Although no suicide note was found, messages he sent to friends indicated his intent to take his own life.

In his messages, he expressed feelings of despair, stating, 'Life is fleeting, there seems to be no hope in living, and I am trying to die but cannot.' Just three days before his death, he posted on social media, 'That weed is a weed, and that pine tree is a pine tree; how can a weed become a pine tree?' A month prior, he wrote, 'After enduring for 20 years in this house in Ilsan, where do I go now?'

Authorities investigated the circumstances surrounding his death based on testimonies from his family, who revealed that he had been struggling with financial difficulties and depression. It was also reported that five months before his death, he had attempted to take his life by overdosing on sleeping pills, adding to the tragedy of his situation.

Having debuted in 1978, 판영진 took on the lead role of a subway driver in the independent film '나비두더지' (Nabidudji) in 2006, marking his first leading role after 28 years in the industry. His untimely death left a profound impact on the community, highlighting the struggles faced by many in the entertainment industry.