Akdong Club's Lee Tae-geun dies at 41 after suffering from alleged vaccine side effects

The late Lee Tae-geun, a former member of Akdong Club / Captured from MBC

Lee Tae-geun, a former member of the group Akdong Club, has died at 41.

According to the music industry, he was laid to rest at the Yaeun Memorial Park columbarium in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong Province.

Akdong Club, a five-member male idol group, debuted in 2002 after being selected through an MBC program. The group quickly gained attention, winning a rookie of the year award that year.

After the group disbanded, Lee re-debuted with Jung Yi-deun, Jung Yoon-don, and Yang Chi-hwan as part of the group The A.D.

However, in February 2022, Lee's wife posted a shocking petition on the Blue House petition board.

According to the family, Lee experienced severe side effects following his third dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine three years ago. He developed symptoms like headaches and vomiting, leading to a hospital visit where he was diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage and admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU).

At the time, his wife said, "The attending doctor explained that subarachnoid hemorrhages are usually caused by trauma, but in my husband's case, there was no trauma, and the cause of the bleeding couldn't be identified. There is no specific treatment plan or method."

She added, "It is frustrating that they cannot explain the connection between the vaccine and these symptoms, despite them occurring after the vaccination."

She described her husband's condition as critical in the ICU, having lost over 20 kilograms and being unable to eat or receive nutritional supplements. She made a desperate plea for help, asking for assistance to save her husband's life.

The late Lee reportedly did not receive compensation for his condition, as no causal link was confirmed between the vaccine and the subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Lee's tragic death has led to an outpouring of condolences from fans.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.