Lee Sun-kyun, a South Korean actor who drew global attention with his performance as the wealthy patriarch in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, was found dead in an apparent suicide in a Seoul park, officials in the capital said.
Lee, 48, who met a gory end in the 2019 film, South Korea’s first to win any Oscar, had faced police questioning three times over accusations of illegal drug use amid a government crackdown, with one session running 19 hours over the weekend.
Authorities found Lee yesterday in a search triggered by a missing person report, a fire official told Reuters on condition of anonymity, as the matter is a sensitive one.
Lee was found in a car at a park in Seoul, after his manager told police the actor had left home, leaving behind an apparent suicide note, a police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Lee’s agency, HODU&U Entertainment, did not respond to calls.
However, domestic media cited a statement by the agency that expressed sadness at the death, while urging restraint regarding false information, speculation or malicious reports.
Once celebrated for his wholesome image, local news outlets reported that the actor was being dropped from television and commercial projects following the scandal.
Infringements of South Korea’s tough drug laws can lead to six months in jail, or up to 14 years for repeat offenders and dealers.
A dark-comedy thriller directed by Bong Joon-ho, Parasite won the Academy Award in 2020 in the four categories of best picture, best director, best original screenplay and best international feature film, off six Oscar nominations.
Grim end: Police officers examining the scene where Lee (pic, above) was found dead at a park in Seoul. — Reuters/AFP
The film became the first non-English language movie to win the best picture award. Bong hailed its popularity as a sign that the “one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles” was no longer a stumbling block to global success.
In the film, Lee played the character of Mr Park, whose affluent home is infiltrated by members of a lower-class family posing as highly qualified domestic workers in a tangled scheme that ends in violence.
Lee, born in 1975, had leading roles in South Korean films such as the 2012 thriller Helpless and 2014’s All About My Wife, as well as the acclaimed 2018 TV series My Mister.
His last film, this year’s horror flick Sleep – in which he played a husband whose sleepwalking eventually leads to terrifying circumstances – was well-received and featured in the Critics’ Week section at the Cannes festival.
Devastated fans expressed their grief on social media, with one user writing on X: “I laughed and cried a lot while watching your acting. Thank you.”
Renowned Korean-American writer Min Jin Lee joined others in expressing their condolences.
“Lee was praiseworthy in Parasite and exceptional in My Mister,” she wrote on Instagram.
“May he be remembered for his excellent work and creative gifts.”
Lee’s reputation suffered a significant blow when South Korean authorities launched an investigation into his alleged drug use in October.
He had been suspected of using illicit drugs at the residence of a hostess employed at a high-end bar in Seoul’s glamorous Gangnam district.
According to Yonhap, the actor asserted that he was “tricked” by the hostess into consuming the drugs and was unaware of their illegal nature.
He briefly spoke to reporters in late October before entering a police station in Incheon to meet with investigators.
“I sincerely apologise for causing great disappointment to many people by being involved in such an unpleasant incident,” he said at the time.
Lee is survived by his wife, actress Jeon Hye-jin and two sons. — Reuters/AFP
