Parasite Fame Lee Sun-kyun Found Dead In His Car; Actor Passes Away At 48, Amid Illegal Drug Use Investigation- Read REPORTS
Lee Sun-kyun was found dead in his car at a park in Seoul, South Korea on Wednesday, leaving his family and fans devastated
South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun left for his heavenly abode on Wednesday. He was found dead in his car at a Seoul park in South Korea. He breathed his last at the age of 48, leaving his family, friends and fans devastated. Several media reports suggest that the police suspect he died by suicide, however, investigations are underway. According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, a charcoal briquette was found on the car’s passenger seat.
As reported by Indian Express, the officials started searching for him after his wife, actress Jeon Hye Jin made a distress call. She had found a letter, after Lee left home, that read like a suicide note, which left her worried. The news of his passing came as a shock to everyone. The actor was under investigation by South Korea’s Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency, for allegedly using illegal drugs at the house of a hostess at a high-end bar in Seoul.
As per the media reports, he was questioned thrice by the police officials with his recent session running over 19 hours, during the weekend. During his trial, the My Mister star claimed that he was being blackmailed by one of the accused persons involved in the same case. He had reportedly lost several hundreds of thousands of dollars to an alleged extortionist. Sun-Kyun added that he was unaware that the substance he was consuming was an ‘illicit drug’. If the reports by Yonhap are to be believed, he had tested negative in the two drug tests. One was conducted by police officials and another one by the National Forensic Service. The hostess, however, had maintained her claims.
The deceased actor’s lawyer had told the news agency, “The National Forensic Service’s drug test should have been positive if she was telling the truth, but it was negative. Lee is in a very unjust situation, so a lie detector test should be done on both of them to scientifically confirm who is lying and who is not.”
For those who don’t know, South Korea has strict laws against consumption of drugs and drug-related crimes. It can lead to 6 months of imprisonment which can be extended to 14 years, for repeat offenders and dealers.
Lee Sun-kyun gained international recognition through his performance in the Oscar-winning film Parasite in 2019. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, the movie also starred Choi Woo-shik, Jang Hye-jin, and many others in pivotal roles. He played the role of the wealthy patriarch of the Park family in the movie. He achieved his breakthrough with Gong Yoo starrer Coffee Prince in 2007. He has been a part of many other movies and shows Payback, Diary of a Prosecutor, My Mister, Killing Romance, Sleep, and Kingmaker. He is survived by his wife, actress Jeon Hye-jin, and their two sons, who were born in 2009 and 2011.
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