Actor, passerby rescue man from suicide attempt

Veteran actor Han Jung-kook, who recently appeared in JTBC TV drama “Strong Woman Do Bong-soon,” reportedly rescued a man who tried to commit suicide  with the help of police and another passerby.

At around 9 p.m. last night, a man in his late 40s attempted to jump off Gangbyeon Bridge in Busan. He had climbed over the railing, which stood above a busy road, when a woman saw him and screamed.

Han and another passerby named Shin Beom-seok, 31, were in the area when they heard the scream.

The two men, who did not know each other, rushed over to grab the unidentified man. Shin was the first to act. He grabbed one of the man’s arms as Han reached for the other arm and held onto the man’s torso.

In order to shake off the two men holding onto him, the man threatened to harm them with a knife if they did not let go. Both men held him tightly, and Shin eventually snatched the man’s knife away.

The Busan Metropolitan Police came onto the scene and lifted the man over the railing, back to safety. The man was subsequently taken to the hospital.

“What I did was not a big deal. The amount of attention I am receiving is more than enough,” Han told local media. “Focus on the young man who attempted suicide. He’s the leading role. I’m just a supporting character.”

He also said Shin was courageous for being the first to jump to the rescue. “I wish I could praise him more,” Han said.

It was reported that the man was homeless and had been struggling to find a job after sustaining a shoulder injury.

By Paige Shin / Intern reporter (paigeshin2019@heraldcorp.com)