South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, has been found dead. The South Korean media reported it, citing the police. The 48-year-old was reportedly found unconscious in a car in a park in central Seoul. It is unclear whether he took his own life.
Lee Sun-kyun had been under investigation for illegal drug use since October. He defended himself by claiming to have been tricked into consuming them and reported having suffered several extortion charges. The scandal had tarnished his image as a successful actor, depriving him of television appearances and advertising contracts, according to several South Korean media.
The actor spoke to reporters in late October before an interrogation at a police station in the city of Incheon, near Seoul. “I sincerely apologize for disappointing many people by being involved in such an unfortunate incident,” he said. “I feel sorry for my family who is enduring such difficult pain right now.”
In the film Parasite by director Bong Joon-ho he played Dong-ik, the father of the rich family that owns the luxurious villa where the other characters then enter. The film picked up four Oscars in 2020, including Best Picture, becoming the first non-English-language film to win the award.
The actor had appeared in several feature films by director Hong Sang-soo, including “Haewon and the Men” in 2013. With Parasite he achieved international fame. His latest film, “Sleep”, where he plays the role of a sleepwalking husband who terrorizes his wife, was presented, out of competition, at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, in the “Critics’ Week” category.
South Korean law is very strict regarding drug use. President Yoon Suk-yeol this year called for tougher measures to crack down on drug trafficking, in a country where selling cannabis is punishable by life in prison. There are even prison sentences for those who return to South Korea after legally consuming cannabis abroad.
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2023-12-27 04:41:39
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