South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” was found dead Wednesday of an apparent suicide, authorities said.
Lee, 48, was found unconscious in a car next to charcoal briquettes – which can cause carbon monoxide poisoning when burned in a closed space – in a Seoul park around 10:30 a.m., South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.
The actor was reported missing earlier in the day. His manager told police he had left the house, leaving an apparent suicide note, the newspaper reported.
His death comes amid an investigation into his alleged illegal drug use, which is strictly enforced in the Asian country.
Lee was questioned three times by police over the investigation, including for a grueling 19 hours over the weekend. He was first seen as a suspect in October, local outlets reported.
Police check a car in a park in Seoul, South Korea on Wednesday. YONHAP/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The actor apologized for “causing great disappointment” during the first interrogation on October 28, according to Yonhap. “I am sorry for my family, who are enduring extreme pain at this time,” he said.
He claimed he was tricked into taking drugs, including marijuana, by a waiter at an upscale bar in Seoul who then tried to blackmail him, Yonhap reported.
He passed two drug tests during the police investigation and also submitted to a polygraph test in an attempt to prove his innocence and that the hostess was a liar in the scheme.
Lee Sun-kyun, the actor from Parasite, was found unconscious in a vehicle in a Seoul park, Yonhap reported. Courtesy of the Everett Collection
Lee starred as the father of a wealthy family in the thriller “Parasite”, which was released in 2019. In addition to best picture at the Oscars, the famous film also won three other categories in 2020.
It was the first non-English language film to win best picture in the 92-year history of the Academy Awards. It was also the first South Korean film to win an Oscar.
In 2021, Lee won the Screen Actors Guild award for “acting in a motion picture” also for his role in “Parasite.”
He has acted in other South Korean films such as “Helpless” in 2012 and “All About My Wife” in 2014.
Police investigate the car in which South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun’s body was found in a park in central Seoul on Dec. 27, 2023. YONHAP/AFP via Getty Images
Lee is also starring in Apple TV+’s first Korean-language original series, a sci-fi thriller, set for 2021 called “Dr. Brain.”
But a recent investigation into alleged drug use seriously undermined him despite his fame and led to extensive tabloid coverage.
A person found guilty of violating South Korea’s harsh drug laws can be jailed for six months, or for 14 years for repeat offenders and dealers.
The country’s drug policy is among the toughest in the world after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol pushed for a “war on drugs” earlier this year, the Washington Post reported.
The Parasite actor’s wife called the police to inform them that Lee had left a suicide note at their home.
Lee is survived by his wife, award-winning actress Jeon Hye-jin, and their two children.
His agency, Hodu & U Entertainment, said his funeral will be private for family and close friends only, Yonhap reported.
“We cannot express how sad and saddened we are… Please refrain from spreading speculation or false information [about him],” the company said in a statement.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
With Postal wire.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
