The Korean entertainment industry has been placed on high alert after actors Seo Sung-jong, Heo Dong-won, and Kim Won-hae were diagnosed with COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
On August 19, Seo Sung-jong, who is a cast member of the play Jjampong and of the KBS2 drama Men Are Men, tested positive for COVID-19. As a precautionary measure, schedules for both the play and the ongoing series were canceled indefinitely on the same day, as all the actors and crew involved have remained in self-isolation to limit their contact with other people while awaiting their test results. The theater later stated that reserved tickets will be fully refunded.
The day after, the 20th, Heo Dong-won, Seo’s co-actor in the play and a cast member of the upcoming KBS2 drama Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, was revealed to have also contracted the viral disease. His agency Ace Factory said, “Heo Dong-won received a positive result from the COVID-19 test.” On the current status of the actor, the label continued, “He was transferred to the hospital by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) and is undergoing additional tests.”
On the same afternoon, Kim Won-hae, who was still gearing up to appear in the same play, reported that he tested positive for the coronavirus disease. His agency SSGG Company stated, “Although Kim Won-hae has yet to join the play and was not included as a subject for testing, he got himself tested just in case and went under self-isolation. Kim tested positive on Thursday (August 20) and canceled all of his immediate schedules.” They added, “He is currently in self-quarantine in accordance to the KCDC guidelines and plans to move to the hospital as soon as a bed is secured.” Fortunately, the test results of Heo’s and Kim’s managers have both turned out negative.
Meanwhile, filming for KBS2’s Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol has been on pause since August 19. It was initially due to the fact that some of the crew members who had contact with Seo Sung-jong in Men Are Men are also part of the filming crew for Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol. However, when it was reported that their own cast member, Heo Dong-won, also tested positive, the production team immediately announced that all future filming for the drama is to be suspended temporarily to ensure everyone’s safety until the test results of the actors, as well as of the crew, merit a safe resumption of their filming and airing schedules.
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