Top Korean actor Bae Yong-joon hospitalized for illness

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Korean Wave star Bae Yong-joon has been hospitalized
for treatment of an illness believed to have been caused by extreme fatigue and
stress, his management agency said Sunday.
Bae's agency, BOF, said the actor was admitted to a Seoul hospital Thursday after
his blood pressure and blood sugar levels fell sharply. Test results showed that
he was suffering from early stages of blood deterioration, the agency said.
Agency officials said the actor was not in serious condition and may be able to
be discharged from the hospital this week in time for a scheduled publicity
event.
"Bae has lost a lot of weight and appears to have grown weaker after working hard
over the past year on a book that looks into the issue of Korean aesthetics," one
agency official said.
Bae rose to stardom in neighboring Asian countries, including Japan, for his lead
role in "Winter Sonata," a drama about star-crossed lovers in 2002. Since then,
he has gained unprecedented popularity in the region.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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