Tragic Death of ‘Parasite’ Actor Lee Sun-kyun: Details and Reaction

Lee Sun-kyun, a popular South Korean actor best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, was found dead Wednesday inside a vehicle in Seoul, local authorities said.

The discovery occurred after several weeks of an intense police investigation into his alleged drug use.

What happened to Lee Sun-kyun, actor of Parasites?

Initially, police and emergency services believed that Lee was in a state of unconsciousness inside the vehicle parked on a street in the north of the city. Emergency personnel later confirmed that he was dead, according to the capital’s Seongbuk police headquarters.

Police had been searching for Lee, 48, after receiving a report of his disappearance, Seongbuk police said.

Authorities declined to provide further details, including whether they had determined that Lee had taken his own life.

But South Korean media outlets, including the Yonhap news agency, reported that the actor’s family had reported hours earlier to police that he had left after writing a message similar to a suicide note early Wednesday.

Lee’s body was later taken to a nearby hospital, Seongbuk police said.

Cast of ‘Parasite’ during the 2019 Oscars. (Photo: Instagram @parasitemovie)

Who was Lee Sun-kyun?

Lee appeared in Parasite, which won Academy Awards for ‘Best Picture’ and three other categories in 2020. The class satire was the first film in a language other than English to win best film in the ’92 years of history of the awards. In addition, it became the first South Korean film to win an Oscar. Lee played the head of a wealthy family.

The cast, including Lee, won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture in 2020. He was also nominated for Best Actor at the International Emmy Awards last year for his performance in the sci-fi thriller Dr. .Brain.

Even before Parasite, Lee had long been a popular actor in South Korea. He rose to stardom for his role in the television series Coffee Prince (2007), and gained popularity with the musical drama Behind The White Tower (2007), Pasta (2010), and My Mister (2018).

Lee had been the subject of police investigations over allegations that he had used illegal drugs at the residence of a bar hostess.

Lee filed a lawsuit against two people, including the receptionist, alleging alleged blackmail. The investigation received extensive tabloid coverage. Lee insisted that she had taken the drugs because of deception and that he did not know what he was taking, according to Yonhap.

South Korea has long had the highest suicide rate among developed countries. It has also experienced a series of suicides among celebrities, such as K-pop singers, politicians and businessmen.

Experts say online hate comments and cyberbullying were responsible for many of those cases.

2023-12-28 07:40:50
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