The Oscar-winning South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, who gained worldwide recognition for his role in the film “Parasite,” was discovered dead in Seoul on Wednesday. 48 was his age.
Mr. Lee refuted the charges and was the subject of a police inquiry after it was suspected that he used illegal drugs. The police declared that they were looking into the possibility of a suicide.
Just before 11 a.m., the police discovered Mr. Lee’s body in a parked car in central Seoul, according to Jeon Yu-deung, the head investigator at the Seongbuk police station, who is in charge of the investigation into his death. The location signal from Mr. 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 Mr. Jeon, Mr. Lee left what looked to be a suicide note.
According to Mr. Jeon, Mr. Lee is survived by his wife, two boys, and siblings. In a statement, his entertainment agency Hodu&U Entertainment said that his family and coworkers would attend a private funeral.
Born in 1975 in Seoul, Mr. Lee attended the Korea National University of Arts to study acting before landing his first job as a professional actor in a music video in 1999. When he starred in the dramas “Coffee Prince” and “Behind the White Tower” in 2007, he became 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).
Mr. Lee won praise from all across the world for his role as the head of an affluent family whose home is the setting for a large portion of the 2019 thriller “Parasite.” In 2020, the movie made history by winning four Oscars, including best picture, making it the first non-English picture to do so. He shared a Screen Actors Guild prize with his fellow cast members.
Mr. Lee was a 2022 International Emmy Award nominee for best actor for his work in the science fiction thriller “Dr. Brain.”
Since October, Mr. Lee had been the subject of numerous interrogations by the police in Incheon, a city west of Seoul, on the suspicion that he used illegal narcotics. In multiple public declarations, he refuted the charges and claimed he was the object of a blackmail attempt.