“Squid Game” star Lee Byung-hun and his wife, actress Lee Min-jung, have tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) amid a surge of cases in South Korea due to the highly contagious Omicron variant.
The actor’s agency BH Entertainment belatedly announced on Feb. 9 that Lee Byung-hun did not feel well, got tested for COVID-19 and was confirmed to be positive on Feb. 7.
His wife, Lee Min-jung, was classified as his close contact and underwent testing. She was also confirmed to have COVID-19. The two stars are currently under self-isolation. They got married in 2013.
Due to Lee Byung-hun’s COVID-19 infection, the filming of his tvN drama “Our Blues” was suspended. The cast and crew got tested and they were negative.
Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare reported that on Feb. 9, South Korea has recorded 49,567 new COVID-19 cases, a new daily record, to bring the total confirmed cases in the country to 1,131,239.
The infection of the husband and wife stars is the latest among the more than 60 Korean stars who tested positive for COVID-19 since Jan. 19.
Last Feb. 7, K-pop group DAY6’s Wonpil tested positive as well as JUST B members Geonu and Sangwoo.
Singer Kim Junsu and actress Park So-dam also got the virus. JUST B members Lim Jimin and JM tested positive for COVID-19 last Feb. 5.
Among those who have recovered from COVID-19 are t The Boyz members, Eric, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Ju Haknyeon and Sangyeon; BTS’ Jimin; Kep1er members Chaeyun and Youngeun; iKON’s Chanwoo, Kim Jinhwan, Song Yunheong, Kim Donghyuk and Koo Jun-hoe; Treasure’s Choi Hyun-suk, Junkyu, Mashiho and Yoshi; WINNER’s Lee Seunghoon; and WEi members Kim Dong-han, Yoo Yong-ha and Kang Seok-hwa.
Other Korean stars who tested positive for COVID-19 are Fromis 9’s Seoyeon (Feb. 4), CIX’s Bae Jin-young (Feb. 4), JUST B’s Lim Jimin and JM (Feb. 5), TV personality Jun Hyun-moo (Feb. 4), comedian Yang Se-hyung, Korean actor Jung Il-woo (Feb. 3), musical actors Lee Choong-joo, Park Kang-hyun and Ock Joo-hyun, Kim Jae-hwan of the former boy band Wanna One, Sian of T1419 and Cherry Bullet’s Bora.
Also testing positive for COVID-19 are Momoland’s JooE; Drippin’s Hwang Yun-seong, Joo Chang-uk, Lee Hyeop and Cha Jun-ho; actor Lee Sang-yoon; Korean drama “Mouse” star Park Ju-hyun; Oh My Girl’s Yubin; Viviz’s SinB, Eunha and Umji (all former members of GFriend); Brave Girls’ Yuna; and comedian Jo Se-ho, former IZ*ONE member Kwon Eun-bi; Weeekly’s Jaehee; former Sistar member Hyolyn; Super Junior’s Eunhyuk; EPEX’s A-Min, Wish and Jeff; and musical actors Seo Kyung-soo, Park Kang-hyun and Jeong Sun Ah.