Top Korean actor Bae Yong-joon discharged from hospital

SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- Bae Yong-joon, a top South Korean actor popular in
Japan and other Asian countries, was discharged from a hospital Monday after five
days of treatment for septicemia, believed to have been caused by extreme fatigue
and stress, his management agency said.
BOF, the actor's management, said the actor left the hospital around 5 p.m. to
prepare to promote his new book, with his health improved substantially.
Bae was admitted to a Seoul hospital Thursday after his blood pressure and blood
sugar levels fell sharply, the agency said on Sunday. Tests showed he was
suffering from early stages of septicemia.
"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," an
agency official said.
The 37-year-old actor rose to unprecedented regional popularity in 2002 for his
lead role in "Winter Sonata," a drama about starcrossed lovers.
He will attend an event to promote the publication of his book Tuesday afternoon
at the National Museum of Korea, and will be present at promotional events for
animation version of "Winter Sonata" and his book in Tokyo Sept. 29-30.
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