“Parasite” Actor Lee Sun-kyun Found Dead amid Drug Allegations
Lee, 48, was found dead on Wednesday inside a car at a Seoul park
Lee Sun-kyun, an actor who starred in the 2019 Oscar-winning film Parasite, has died, according to multiple reports. He was 48.
Lee was found dead on Wednesday inside a car at a Seoul park, according to the Associated Press. The news agency reported that police had been searching for Lee after his family said that he left what appeared to be a suicide note.
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According to the Yonhap news agency, Lee was found with a charcoal briquette in his passenger seat and was pronounced dead at the scene. His death comes amid an investigation into illegal drug use, according to The Washington Post.
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(L-R) Song Kang-ho, Cho Yeo-jeong, Lee Sun-kyun, Park So-dam and "Parasite" director Bong Joon-ho at the 92nd Annual Academy AwardsRelated: Paying Tribute to the Celebrities Who Have Died in 2023
The Yonhap news agency said that he had been questioned by police three times after he allegedly used illegal drugs, including marijuana, in the home of a hostess who works at a club in the Gangnam district. Lee denied the allegations through his lawyer, according to The Washington Post.
The actor claimed that he had been tricked into taking the drugs by the hostess who attempted to blackmail him, according to Reuters, who said that Lee's most recent questioning by police took place over the weekend and lasted 19 hours.
Per the Yonhap news agency, he had also taken a brief reagent test and a lab-based drug test by the National Forensic Service last month, which came back negative.
Lee played the head of the wealthy Park family in Parasite, which took home the Oscar for Best Picture at the 92nd Annual Academy Awards. The South Korean film made history by becoming the first non-English language movie to win Best Picture.
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Lee Sun-kyunIt also became the first film to receive Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film and Best Picture.
"Because the film received the Palme d'OR at Cannes we were hoping that the film would received some recognition at the Oscars, because it was the first Korean film that even had a chance," Lee told HollywoodChicago.com while reflecting on his experience working on the film in an interview published in October.
"When all the nominations came out, I expected that director Boon Joon-ho could win, but I never thought we had a chance at Best Picture. So when our director won, we thought the day was over. You cannot imagine how surprised and excited we were when they called the film for Best Picture. I'll never forget it," he added.
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According to Reuters, he also had leading roles in films such as Helpless and All About My Wife and starred in Apple TV+'s first Korean-language original series, Dr. Brain.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
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