South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, renowned for his role in the Academy Award-winning film “Parasite,” was discovered dead on Wednesday in what appears to be a suicide, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.
Police found the 48-year-old actor inside a vehicle at a central Seoul park, where he was under investigation for alleged use of marijuana and other psychoactive substances.
Once celebrated for his wholesome image, local news sources revealed that Lee was facing removal from television and commercial projects following the drug scandal.
A graduate of South Korea’s prestigious Korea National University of Arts, Lee made his acting debut in 2001 in a television sitcom titled “Lovers.” He gained acclaim for various roles, including a charismatic chef and a diligent architectural engineer discovering his wife’s infidelity.
Internationally, he is best known for portraying the affluent and superficial patriarch in director Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 Oscar-winning film “Parasite.”
Lee’s last film, the 2023 horror flick “Sleep,” where he played a husband whose sleepwalking leads to horrifying circumstances, received critical acclaim and featured in the Critics’ Week section at the Cannes festival.
In late October, he spoke briefly to reporters before meeting with investigators at an Incheon police station, apologizing for causing disappointment and expressing sorrow for his family enduring difficult pain.
South Korea has stringent laws on illegal drugs, and even using substances legally abroad can lead to prosecution upon returning home. This year, President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the need for tougher measures against drug traffickers.
Lee Sun-kyun is survived by his wife, actress Jeon Hye-jin, and two sons.
