‘Parasite’ Director Bong Joon-ho Calls for Investigation Into Actor’s Death
Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho has called for an investigation into the death of actor Lee Sun-kyun, who starred in his Oscar award-winning film Parasite. In December, after a strenuous weeks-long police investigation into claims that Lee was using illegal drugs, the actor was found dead in his car in Seoul, in an apparent suicide. Lee had passed several drug tests, and told authorities that he was being blackmailed, and that if he had consumed illegal drugs, it was because he had been tricked. Lee’s lawyers told local media outlets that he was distraught by the police’s handling of the case, and the damage it was doing to his career. On Tuesday, a group whose name roughly translates to the Association of Solidarity Among Cultural Artists, released a statement calling for South Korean officials to investigate Lee’s death. “We have all come together under the firm conviction that no such incident should ever take place again, after facing the tragic death of actor Lee Sun-kyun,” the statement said.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.
