The South Korean actor Lee Sun-Kyun, who gained worldwide recognition for his role as Park Dong-ik in the film “Parasite,” was discovered dead in Seoul on Wednesday, 27 December 2023, at the age of 48.
Before his death, Lee underwent a police inquiry as they suspected that he was using illegal drugs, but the actor rejected these accusations. In the current circumstances, the police thereby declared that they were looking into the possibility of suicide, which might have been caused by a blackmail attempt and the immense psychological pressure of the accusations.
Just before 11 AM, the police discovered Lee’s body highly affected by carbon monoxide poisoning in a parked car in central Seoul, as reported by Jeon Yu-Deung, the head investigator of the Seongbuk police station who is in charge of the investigation into his death.
The location signal from Lee’s phone was used by the authorities to locate his body after his manager reported him missing earlier in the day. Additionally, according to Jeon, Lee left what looked like a sort of suicide note and a will for his wife.
In a statement, Lee’s talent agency, Hodu&U Entertainment, announced that a private funeral will be attended by his family, including his devastated wife, two sons and siblings, and his coworkers.
The announcement of this heartbreaking news, as per Allkpop, reads: “This is HODU&U Entertainment. We are sorry to bring you sad news. Actor Lee Sun Kyun passed away on December 27. There is no way to contain our sorrow and despair.”
They added, “We respectfully ask that you refrain from spreading false facts based on speculation or speculation and malicious reports based on them so that the deceased’s final journey will be in peace. The funeral will be held quietly with the bereaved family and colleagues in attendance. We express our deepest condolences on the deceased’s final journey.”
Lee Sun-kyun, award-winning South Korean actor and star of Parasite, Dr. Brain, and My Mister, has sadly passed away.
Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/EJlOr1YpPt
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) December 27, 2023
South Korea and Illegal Drugs
Since October, Mr. Lee had been subjected to numerous interrogations by the police in Incheon, a city west of Seoul, on the suspicion that he used illegal narcotics. However, he publicly refuted all the charges and claimed that he was the object of a blackmail attempt, which spread these false rumors.
After a 19-hour interrogation, he told reporters of KBS News on 24 December: “I ask that the police make a good judgment about whose side’s statements are credible between me and the blackmailers.”
Drug misuse scandals have recently rocked South Korea’s entertainment industry during a national anti-drug drive. Yoo Ah-in, who gained fame for his performance in the Netflix series “Hellbound” in 2021, had his residence raided by the police in March following a positive test for propofol, marijuana, ketamine, and cocaine.
Drug laws are strictly enforced in South Korea, where those found guilty may spend six months to fourteen years behind bars. Even if citizens use illegal narcotics abroad, they may still face legal consequences for doing so when they return to their country.
Ever since President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of a “war on drugs,” the government authorities have recently increased drug-related arrests in an effort to alert the public to the rising problem. As per the National Police Agency, the number of drug-related arrests nationally increased to over 17,000 this year from about 10,400 in 2019.
Who was Lee Sun-kyun?
Lee Sun-kyun was a South Korean actor best known for his role in Bong Joon-ho’s critically acclaimed black comedy thriller “Parasite” (2019). The film won four awards at the Academy Awards in 2020, including Best Picture, thereby becoming the first non-English movie to win the award, while the cast members, including Lee, won a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Lee has also received several other awards, including a nomination for an International Emmy Award for his role in the sci-fi thriller “Dr. Brain.”
Born in 1975 in Seoul, Lee attended the Korea National University of Arts to pursue his acting career, making his debut in a music video in 1999.
When he starred in the dramas “Coffee Prince” and “Behind the White Tower” in 2007, he began to become quite well-known on Korean television. In addition, he portrayed the lead in the romantic comedy series “Pasta” (2010), the thriller “Helpless” (2012), and the psychological drama “My Mister” (2018).
