A year after his death, late actor Song Young-gyu lives on through final roles

Tuesday marks one year since actor Song Young-gyu died.

Song was found dead inside a vehicle parked in Cheoin-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province on Aug. 4 last year. He was 55. Police found no evidence of foul play, and no note was discovered.

Before his death, Song had been referred to prosecutors on drunk-driving charges. After that became public, he withdrew from the stage production "Shakespeare in Love," in which he had been performing. The production teams behind the ENA drama series "The Defects" and the SBS drama series "Tri" also said they would edit out his scenes to the extent possible.

His performances have since reached viewers again through his posthumous works.

In the first episode of the Netflix series "Teach You a Lesson," released July 5, Song appeared as Ryu Gwang-pil, a lawmaker and presidential hopeful who uses his power to shield his son Ryu Jun-hyeong (played by Lee Seung-gyu), a school bully. Even in a brief appearance, Song left a strong impression with his characteristically weighty and commanding performance.

Song first became widely known through his role as Chief Inspector Choi in the film "Extreme Job," and went on to show his range in numerous projects including the Netflix series "Narco-Saints" and the Disney+ series "Big Bet." Moving fluidly between lead and supporting roles, he brought depth to every project he touched — and his performances, across many works, endure a full year after his passing.