South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead at 48
By TOI Desk Report
December 27, 2023
Update on : December 27, 2023
Popular South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, who drew global attention for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, was found dead in Seoul on Wednesday.
The actor, 48, was found unconscious in a car in a Seoul park, officials in the capital said, reported BBC, Reuters, and AP. It is unclear if the actor killed himself.
Lee met a gory end in the 2019 film, South Korea’s first to win an Oscar.
Amid a government crackdown, police questioned him three times on suspicion of illegal drug use.
Quoting a received report, police said Lee, who had been under investigation for alleged drug use since October, had left home after writing a note.
He was suspected of taking drugs such as marijuana and ketamine with a hostess at a bar in Seoul, reported news outlet Yonhap.
The hostess allegedly notified authorities that Lee used drugs multiple times at her place, which he denied.
He had already requested a lie detector test through his attorney, but his drug tests had returned negative results.
In a statement, Lee’s agency HODU&U Entertainment said there is no way to keep the sadness and despair.
The actor was married to actress Jeon Hye-jin. The couple had two young sons with her.
He played the lead in scores of films and TV shows, becoming a household celebrity in the 2010s. In 2020, the film won four awards at the Oscars.
According to reports, some businesses were seen removing Lee-related posters and advertisements from their establishments.
Drug offences are considered serious crimes in South Korea while consumption of marijuana carries sentences of up to five years.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed a crackdown on drugs while the authorities expanded drug crimes department this year and police promised “a total war” on drug crimes.
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