Tragedies of “Reply 1988” Stars: Early Death, Blood Cancer, Messy Fallout 

8 years have passed since its release, yet “Reply 1988” remains a “must-watch K-drama” for anyone who loves Korean content. The intertwining story of the past and present, about family, love, and friendship among the families in Ssangmun neighborhood, has captivated audiences for generations. 

However, beloved stars from the K-drama have faced various tragedies. 

Park Bo-ram’s sudden death at the age of 30

On April 12, the news of singer Park Bo-ram’s death at the age of 30 shocked the public. The singer is known to have participated in the music show “SuperStar K2” and sang the song “Hyehwadong” – a soundtrack of “Reply 1988”. The public couldn’t help but mourn the young singer’s passing, with her life cut short and many future plans left unfulfilled.

According to the police in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province (South Korea), Park Bo-ram visited a friend’s house to drink on the evening of April 11. Around 10 PM, the singer asked to use the restroom. When she stayed in the bathroom for too long without coming out, her two drinking companions checked on her. They found the singer unconscious and collapsed in front of the sink.

Immediately, friends called 119 and attempted artificial respiration for Park Bo-ram. An ambulance quickly arrived to take the singer to Guri Hospital at Hanyang University, but Park Bo-ram passed away at 11:17 PM on April 11. The police are continuing to investigate the incident, and Park Bo-ram’s company has requested that netizens refrain from baseless speculation.

Park Bo-ram passed away suddenly while preparing for a series of 10th-anniversary activities. And just over a month ago, she had turned 30. Throughout her life, the singer has faced various challenges, from losing both her parents at an early age to experiencing romantic heartbreak. 

Choi Sung-won’s vicious blood cancer

Choi Sung-won, born in 1985, played the role of the younger brother of Duk-sun (Hyeri) – the female lead of “Reply 1988”. Although his character didn’t have too many scenes, the actor still made an impression on the audience and opened up many opportunities in his career.

Just when it seemed like he could take advantage of this success, however, in May 2016, Choi Sung-won was diagnosed with acute blood cancer. At this time, he was filming for the drama “Mirror Of The Witch” and had to leave the project. 

Later on, thanks to intense treatment, Choi Sung-won was able to return to acting by 2017. However, in 2020, the vicious blood cancer recurred, and “Duk-sun’s younger brother” once again had to leave the screen to be hospitalized.

Currently, Choi Sung-won has undergone a bone marrow transplant and is completely cured of blood cancer, but the disease has left him with many lasting issues. The actor’s health has deteriorated significantly, and his appearance has become much more haggard and aged. 

In early 2024, Choi Sung-won also left his management company, making it very difficult for him to return to the screen.

According to Choi Sung-won, he had written and deleted his own will many times, desperate and not understanding why such a tragedy had befallen him. Choi Sung-won’s current condition has left the audience feeling heartbroken.

Hyeri & Ryu Jun-yeol’s Messy Breakup

In the series, Hyeri was paired with Choi Taek (Park Bo-gum), but in real life, the one who captured her heart was Ryu Jun-yeol. The couple was greatly loved and supported by the audience, and their romance lasted for years.

However, on November 13, 2023, the couple announced their breakup, leaving many fans heart-broken. 

Just when both seemed to have parted ways peacefully, however, on March 15, a “love drama” involving Hyeri, Ryu Jun-yeol, and Han So-hee erupted unexpectedly. 

In particular, when a netizen spotted Han So-hee and Ryu Jun-yeol dating in Hawaii. Hyeri immediately posted a cryptic Instagram story saying, “How interesting.” 

To this, Han So-hee responded with a meme of a dog holding a knife, asking what’s interesting, at the same time clarifying rumors surrounding her relationship with Ryu Jun-yeol. However, she quickly deleted the photo and confirmed her relationship. 

At the time, many netizens suspected that Han So-hee was the “third person” in Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol’s relationship. The actress angrily wrote several lengthy posts responding to netizens, eventually ruining her image in the public’s eyes. 

Eventually, on March 30, Han So-hee announced her breakup with Ryu Jun-yeol after 2 weeks of drama. She also expressed frustration at Ryu Jun-yeol’s silence, Hyeri’s Instagram story, and questioned netizens’ hatred toward her.

Meanwhile, Ryu Jun-yeol faced intense backlash from netizens for remaining silent amid the drama. The actor also came under fire for various controversies, such as being an environmental ambassador but participating in the most polluting sports – golf, shady real estate purchases, and even “power tripping” accusations. 

Hyeri also couldn’t escape from being fiercely attacked by many overly aggressive netizens, who terrorized the comment section of her social media. 

Source: K14