Actor Jeon Seung-jae Dies at 47 After Two-Year Coma Following On-Set Brain Hemorrhage

South Korean actor Jeon Seung-jae (전승재), who appeared in the Netflix K-drama 'The Bequeathed,' has died at the age of 47. Jeon collapsed two years ago from a sudden brain hemorrhage while filming a drama and, despite emergency surgery, never regained consciousness. He passed away after two years of treatment.

According to Korean media reports on May 29, Jeon died on that day. His memorial altar has been set up in Room 3 of the Silrakwon Funeral Hall in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

Jeon collapsed suddenly on set in 2024 while filming the KBS 2TV historical drama 'Goryeo-Khitan War.' He was rushed to the hospital for surgery but remained unconscious afterward, battling his illness for approximately two years.

At the time, several actors, including Sung Do-hyun and Park Ji-yeon, publicly rallied support for him, stating, "Our good friend, good father, and excellent actor Jeon Seung-jae is fighting his illness alone in the hospital. We hope everyone can give him more strength through prayers and a little help." They also launched a fundraising campaign to assist him during his difficult time.

Born in 1979, Jeon Seung-jae officially debuted in 2004 with the film 'Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War.' He went on to appear in films such as 'Haeundae' and the MBC sitcom 'High Kick Through the Roof.' In recent years, he also participated in the Netflix K-drama 'The Bequeathed,' maintaining an active presence in the entertainment industry.

The cause of Jeon's sudden collapse was a cerebral hemorrhage, which occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing blood to leak into brain tissue or the subarachnoid space. The most common cause is high blood pressure. Long-term hypertension can weaken the walls of tiny brain capillaries, making them susceptible to rupture if blood pressure suddenly rises due to emotional stress, overwork, or temperature changes.

Additionally, conditions affecting blood clotting, such as ruptured cerebral aneurysms, congenital arteriovenous malformations, anticoagulant medication use, leukemia, and liver cirrhosis, can also increase the risk of cerebral hemorrhage.

Medical professionals note that collapsing suddenly and losing consciousness after a cerebral hemorrhage typically indicates a very large bleed or bleeding in critical areas of the brain, such as the brainstem or thalamus, signifying an extremely severe condition. If a patient is still conscious upon arrival at the hospital, the survival rate can exceed 90%; however, if they are already in a coma, the survival rate drops significantly.

Even if patients survive the acute phase, the probability of fully recovering to normal life after a prolonged coma is only about 10% to 20%.

Dr. Bae Jeong-hoon and Dr. Heo Jun-young, neurology specialists at Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, previously advised through the Korean Stroke Society that in cases of suspected stroke symptoms, such as one-sided limb weakness, sudden dizziness, or slurred speech, whether due to cerebral hemorrhage or infarction, individuals should immediately call 119 for emergency transport to ensure timely intervention.