Popular South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, famous for his part in the award-winning movie Parasite, has passed away, according to South Korea’s emergency office. The 48-year-old actor was discovered in a car in a central Seoul park on Wednesday after his wife reported his departure from home and found a note suggesting self-harm. Lee had been facing a police inquiry related to his suspected involvement with marijuana and other drugs.
Police had interviewed Lee three times, with one session lasting 19 hours during the weekend. According to Yonhap, the actor claimed he was deceived into taking drugs by a bar hostess who later attempted to extort him.
South Korea has strict drug laws, and offenses usually result in a minimum of six months in prison. Repeat offenders and dealers could face up to 14 years of imprisonment.
In late October, he spoke briefly to reporters before going into an Incheon police station for questioning.
“I want to apologize sincerely for letting down many people by getting involved in this unfortunate situation,” he stated. He also expressed regret for the distress his family was going through at that challenging moment.
Lee, who graduated from South Korea’s esteemed Korea National University of Arts, started his acting journey in 2001 with a TV sitcom called Lovers.
Although he gained praise for various roles, he became widely recognized worldwide for playing the wealthy and superficial head of the family in director Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 Oscar-winning movie Parasite.
Afterward, he took on the main role in Apple TV+’s inaugural Korean-language original series, which premiered in 2021. Dr. Brain, a six-episode sci-fi thriller, narrated the story of a neurologist with a detached demeanor, searching for clues about a mysterious family incident through experiments on the brain.
His final movie, the horror film Sleep released this year, portrayed him as a husband whose sleepwalking leads to terrifying situations. The movie received positive reviews and was showcased in the Critics’ Week section at the Cannes festival.
He leaves behind his wife, Jeon Hye-jin, and two sons.
Source: The Guardian
