"Cardiac Arrest During IV Drip"
Debuted as a Comedian... Active as a Film Producer
Controversies Including Tax Evasion and Spouse Assault Follow
Comedian Seo Se-won (67), who was known to have settled in Cambodia for business purposes, reportedly passed away on the 20th (Korean time) while receiving treatment at a Korean hospital.
According to multiple media reports, Seo collapsed into cardiac arrest and died of shock around 1 p.m. that day while receiving an IV drip at a Korean hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Seo was said to have settled in Cambodia since 2020 to operate a broadcasting company and engage in real estate development business.
Seo debuted as a comedian in 1979 through the TBC Radio Comedy Contest. He later moved to MBC, where he became known to the public by appearing in various entertainment programs such as 'Young 11,' 'Youth March,' and 'Sunday Sunday Night.'
He was also famous as a film director and producer. His representative work, 'My Wife Is a Gangster,' released in 2001, was a box office success, attracting 2.4 million viewers. The following year, he also served as the producer of 'Emergency Measure No. 19.'
However, Seo's golden era did not last long. The film production company he founded was indicted on tax evasion charges, and later the Supreme Court sentenced him to 10 months in prison with a two-year probation and a fine of 50 million won, sparking controversy.
In particular, during a legal battle with his ex-wife Seo Jeong-hee in 2014, it was revealed that Seo had assaulted his wife, shocking the public. The two were once known as a representative 'lovey-dovey couple' in the entertainment industry.
In May 2015, the court sentenced Seo to six months in prison with a two-year probation for assaulting his wife. Separately, a divorce lawsuit was also underway, and the two agreed to divorce after completing property division in the same year.
Seo remarried in 2016 to a haegeum player, Ms. A, who is 23 years his junior. Afterward, largely forgotten by the public, he transformed into a media and construction entrepreneur in Cambodia in 2020. It was reported that he secured construction projects worth about 3 trillion won, including hotels, casinos, golf courses, and hospitals.
At that time, regarding family issues, he told The Fact, "I am always sorry for causing controversy," and added, "I will soon openly clarify private matters such as divorce and remarriage."
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