In a tragic turn of events, Lee Sun-kyun, the renowned South Korean actor celebrated for his role in the Academy Award-winning movie “Parasite,” has d!ed.
Lee Sun-kyun was found d#ad on Wednesday in an apparent suicide.
As per a report by Yonhap, the actor was found in a vehicle at a park in central Seoul. Interestingly, the 48-year-old had been the subject of a police investigation related to the alleged use of marijuana and other psychoactive drugs.
As a result of the drug scandal, Lee, once known for his pristine image, had lost his roles in television and commercial projects.
A graduate of South Korea’s esteemed Korea National University of Arts, Lee embarked on his acting journey in 2001 with a television sitcom titled “Lovers.”
Throughout his career, he garnered acclaim for diverse roles including portraying a charismatic chef and a diligent architectural engineer grappling with marital infidelity. Internationally, he gained recognition for his portrayal of the affluent and superficial patriarch in director Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 Oscar-winning film “Parasite.”
His final film, the 2023 horror feature “Sleep,” received critical acclaim and was featured in the Critics’ Week section at the Cannes Festival.
In late October, Lee briefly addressed reporters before meeting with investigators at an Incheon police station, expressing sincere apologies for disappointing his fans and family.
“I sincerely apologise for causing great disappointment to many people by being involved in such an unpleasant incident. I feel sorry for my family, which is enduring such difficult pain at this moment. Once again, I sincerely apologise to everyone,” he said at the time.
South Korea maintains stringent laws against illegal drugs, with even citizens legally using substances like marijuana abroad risking prosecution upon returning home. President Yoon Suk Yeol, earlier this year, urged stricter measures to combat drug trafficking, asserting that the country was no longer “drug-free.”
Lee Sun-kyun is survived by his wife, actress Jeon Hye-jin, and their two sons.
Source iHarare
