Word of his passing came through an unexpected source: the production team behind his final project, ENA's upcoming series Romance Expert, which stars Choo Young Woo and Kim So Hyun. In a statement released on the day of his death, the show's producers expressed their sorrow and confirmed the director had died, noting that they were sharing the news specifically because his family had asked them to. The family, they explained, is asking media and fans alike to respect their privacy during this painful time and to allow funeral arrangements to proceed away from public attention.