SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Lee Sun-kyun, a popular South Korean actor best known for his role in the Oscar-winning movie “Parasite,” was found dead in a car in Seoul on Wednesday, authorities said, after weeks of an intense police investigation into his alleged drug use.
Initially, police and emergency responders found Lee in what they presumed was an unconscious state inside the parked car on a northern Seoul street. Subsequently, emergency personnel confirmed his death, as reported by Seoul’s Seongbuk police station. Authorities had initiated a search for the 48-year-old Lee after receiving a missing person report, according to Seongbuk police, who declined to disclose further details, including whether they had determined if Lee took his own life. However, South Korean media outlets, including Yonhap news agency, stated that Lee’s family had reported earlier on Wednesday that he had left home after leaving a message resembling a suicide note.
Following the discovery, Lee’s body was transported to a nearby Seoul hospital, according to Seongbuk police. The actor had gained prominence for his role in “Parasite,” which secured Oscars for Best Picture and three other categories in 2020. This groundbreaking film, a satirical exploration of class distinctions, marked the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture in the history of the Academy Awards and the first South Korean film to secure an Oscar. In “Parasite,” Lee portrayed the patriarch of an affluent family.
In 2021, he received a Screen Actors Guild award for his contribution to the cast of the same film. Additionally, Lee garnered a nomination for Best Actor at the International Emmy Awards for his performance in the sci-fi thriller “Dr. Brain” the previous year. Even before “Parasite,” Lee had enjoyed widespread popularity in South Korea, rising to fame with roles in the hit TV drama series “Coffee Prince (2007)” and gaining mainstream recognition through the medical drama “Behind The White Tower (2007),” “Pasta (2010),” and “My Mister (2018).”
Lee had previously undergone police investigations regarding allegations of illegal drug use at the residence of a bar hostess, resulting in extensive tabloid coverage. Lee consistently maintained that he was deceived into taking the drugs and was unaware of their nature, according to Yonhap.
May his soul rest in peace – AP
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