Popular Actor Shares About The Deadly Accident That Left Him Immobile

Actor Jung Il Woo recently appeared on MBC‘s entertainment program Omniscient Interfering View and talked about his unfortunate accident.

Jung Il Woo | DongA Ilbo

During the episode, which aired on January 13, the actor was joined by some of his close friends, including his manager Joo Yoon Seok. Joo revealed that they have been friends since middle school.

Joo Yoon Seok, Jung’s friend and manager

While all of the friends were enjoying a meal together, one of them said that the outfit he had on was all gifted to him by Jung Il Woo. The actor explained that he loves shopping but ends up not wearing the things he buys. So, he gifts them to his friends.

Jung and his friends enjoying a dinner at his house | MBC Jung’s friend said all of his clothing items were gifts from the actor | MBC

Jung then explained the reason why he is so generous to his friends, recalling the difficult times when they stood by him. Ahead of shooting the 2006 drama High Kick!, the actor was in a serious car accident while riding in the back of a car with his childhood friend, actor Lee Min Ho.

Jung Il Woo and Lee Min Ho | dailysecu.com

The aftermath was scary as he suffered through short-term memory loss. He was also unable to walk at all, and it was his friends who would take him to the washroom and help him wash up. At the time, he was only 19 years old.

Fortunately, with the help of his friends, Jung recovered and joined the main cast of High Kick!, which brought him significant attention and appreciation. Since then, the actor has been repaying the kindness of his friends in his own ways.

Manager Joo Yoon Seok revealed a touching story about Jung, saying that after the death of his father last year, the actor helped him out with the funeral. He arranged the funeral home, stayed with Joo and his mother throughout, and even paid all the expenses after working hard for three days.

In response, Jung Il Woo said that he considered Joo as a family member rather than his manager, and it was a given that he should stand by his side, just like Joo does for him.

Meanwhile, Jung Il Woo is best known for his roles in The Return of Iljimae, 49 Days, and Cinderella with Four Knights, among others. The actor is also admired for his strength of character and courage, as apart from the car accident, he was also diagnosed with cerebral aneurysm in 2016, which qualified him for a military exemption. Regardless, he enlisted for his service in December 2016 and was discharged in 2018.