(AFP) — South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, renowned for his role in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” was discovered dead on Wednesday in what appears to be a suicide, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.
According to police sources cited by Yonhap, the actor was found inside a vehicle at a park in central Seoul. Lee, 48, had been under investigation for alleged marijuana use and other psychoactive drugs.
Once celebrated for his wholesome image, local news outlets revealed that Lee was facing professional consequences, being dropped from television and commercial projects in the wake of the scandal.
A graduate of South Korea’s prestigious Korea National University of Arts, Lee initiated his acting career in 2001 with a television sitcom titled “Lovers.” He gained acclaim for diverse roles, portraying a charismatic chef and a diligent architectural engineer discovering his wife’s infidelity.
Internationally, Lee is best known for his role as the wealthy and superficial patriarch in director Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 Oscar-winning film “Parasite.”
His final film, this year’s horror flick “Sleep,” where he played a husband whose sleepwalking leads to chilling consequences, received critical acclaim and was featured in the Critics’ Week section at the Cannes festival.
Lee briefly addressed reporters in late October before meeting with investigators at an Incheon police station. “I sincerely apologize for causing great disappointment to many people by being involved in such an unpleasant incident,” he stated. “I feel sorry for my family, which is enduring such difficult pain at this moment. Once again, I sincerely apologize to everyone.”
South Korea has strict laws regarding illegal drugs, with even citizens legally using substances like marijuana abroad facing potential prosecution upon returning home. President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the need for stricter measures against drug trafficking this year, asserting that the country was no longer “drug-free.”
Lee Sun-kyun is survived by his wife, actress Jeon Hye-jin, and two sons.
