Dear Yong Joon 裴勇俊 배용준 ペ・ヨンジュン: [News] Bae Yong-joon in hospital with ruptured nec...:
Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon has belatedly found to have been in the hospital since last week due to a ruptured disc in his neck, according to his agency on Thursday.

"It is true Bae has been hospitalized... He is currently in the hospital due to a neck disc herniation," confirmed an official at the actor's agency KEYAST of which Bae is the largest major shareholder.

Bae had first developed the condition after falling from a horse while filming 2007 historical epic "Four Gods," leaving him with an injured neck and shoulders for which he received surgery after the show wrapped up.

Then last Tuesday, he was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, the condition said to have worsened acutely from the cold weather and overworking himself.

The 38-year-old star had recently been appearing in KBS mini-series "Dream High," his first small screen appearance in three years, as well as acting as the show's creative producer.

"Dream High," a co-production between Korea's top entertainment firms KEYEAST and JYP Entertainment, tells about the dreams of students who attend a performing arts school with the storyline set to be relayed through song and dance.

Bae had made special appearances in the show, playing the role of Jung Ha-myung, the director of the performing arts school who has the ability to create stars out of his students.

An official with "Dream High" explained that Bae's illness will not affect the show since he has finished shooting all of his scenes except for one in episode four which went on air yesterday.

Bae rose to mega-stardom in Korea and throughout Asia with the 2002 hit KBS TV series "Winter Sonata" co-starring actress Choi Ji-woo.

He has been actively promoting Korean culture in Asia as well through various efforts including running a Korean restaurant in Japan and publishing a photo essay titled "Discovering the Beauty of Korea" last year that has been sold in multiple languages as well as being made into a television documentary.

He has also made numerous donations to various organizations in Asia including 300 million won to the tsunami victims in 2005 as well as handing funds raised from an environment-themed photo spread to a UNEP committee।