Netflix Actor Na Chul Dead at 36 After His Health ‘Suddenly Deteriorated’

South Korean actor Na Chul has died. Chul, who was known for his roles in various Netflix titles, including Once Upon a Small Town and Little Women, passed away while undergoing treatment for “exacerbated health issues” at the hospital, “entertainment industry officials” confirmed, per Star News Korea. At this time, the actor’s cause of death has not been determined, though he was reportedly recently hospitalized after his health “suddenly deteriorated.” He was 36.

Chul made his acting debut in the play Anne’s Diary in 2010 before going on to land roles in Korean movies and television shows. He starred in popular K-dramas like Touch Your Heart, Happiness, Through the Darkness, and Vincenzo, the Netflix series on which he starred as Na Deok-Jin across five episodes in 2021. He also starred in the drama Weak Hero Class 1 and made guest appearances on Netflix’s Kim Hee-won-directed series Little Women, which also stars Kim Go-eun, Nam Ji-hyun, and Park Ji-hu.

Actor Na Chul passed away in hospital earlier today owing to undisclosed health issues. He was only 36 and was one of the most visible actors of late, with roles in 10 K-dramas over past 2 years, inc. VINCENZO, LITTLE WOMEN, HAPPINESS, D.P. and the villain in WEAK HERO CLASS 1. pic.twitter.com/bX2HJpNhGr

— Pierce Conran (@pierceconran) January 21, 2023

In addition to his TV appearances, Chul also made several big screen appearances throughout his career. He appeared in the movies Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds (2017), 1987: When The Day Comes (2017), and Extreme Job (2019). His other credits include Hospital Playlist 2, D.P., A Superior Day, and Once Upon a Small Town, a Netflix romcom adapted from a web novel by Park Ha-min.

As news of his death broke, Chul’s Little Women co-star Go-eun paid tribute to him on social media, remembering him as “the best actor. The most wonderful person, father, husband, son and friend.” Many fans have also paid tribute to Chul, with one fan tweeting, “this is so heartbreaking. May his soul rest in peace Na Chul.” Calling his passing “tragic,” another person wrote, “a wonderful performer who made the simplest moments full of life and character.” Somebody else tweeted, “He was such a great intuitive actor. Condolences to his family, for whom Seollal will never be the same again. May he rest in peace.”

Soompi reported that Chul’s funeral is set to be held on Monday, Jan. 23 at the Soonchunhyang University Hospital Funeral Home in Seoul. The beloved actor will appear posthumously in the upcoming disaster film Concrete Utopia, which was completed prior to his death and also stars Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-joon.