On May 5, 2022, first responders found the South Korean actor unconscious in her home; they reported that Kang had suffered cardiac arrest after collapsing from a cerebral hemorrhage. She was taken to the local Gangnam Severance Hospital, where she was admitted to the ICU while on a ventilator.

After two days of medical care at the hospital, Kang Soo-yeon died in the afternoon on May 7, 2022. The late actor's funeral was held at Samsung Medical Center's funeral hall in southern Seoul on May 11, 2022, according to Korea JoongAng Daily. Kang was cremated; her ashes were buried at Yongin Memorial Park in Gyeonggi.

Rest in peace, Kang!