It was big news only a couple of weeks ago that South Korean actor Lee Je Hoon would be hosting the Busan International Film Festival alongside actress Park Eun Bin.
Sadly for the 39-year-old actor, today’s news changes that as a representative from his self-owned agency COMPANY ON told Korea’s Joy News 24 Lee Je Hoon is currently in hospital after emergency surgery.
He is expected to remain there for at least the next week.
According to the COMPANY ON representative,
“Lee Je Hoon went to the hospital on the night of the 1st due to severe abdominal pain and was ultimately diagnosed with ischemic colitis. As a result, he underwent emergency surgery during the early morning of the October 2nd.”
The representative then added:
Fortunately, the surgery went well, and Lee Je Hoon is now recovering in the hospital. We will continue to monitor his progress, but he is likely to be hospitalized for at least a week. We hope he will recover quickly and show his healthy self again.
Unfortunately for Lee Je Hoon, however, that means he will not be able to host the Busan International Film Festival, which begins on October 4th with the opening ceremony.
The film festival has now decided to go forward with Park Eun Bin solo hosting the event, which is an unprecedented move for them.
Nor will the actor be able to attend the 32nd Buil Film Awards on October 5th.
Lee Je Hoon, of course, is known for his role as Kim Do Gi in the Taxi Driver series, as well as for roles in Move to Heaven, Where Stars Land, Tomorrow with You and Signal.
His next drama, Chief Inspector 1963, is scheduled to premiere some time in 2024, as is the third season of Taxi Driver.
By then, of course, he should be fully recovered and fighting fit.