Lee Sun-kyun, Parasite actor, found dead at 48

Actor Lee Sun-kyun, known for Parasite, found dead. Drug investigation. South Korea vows crackdown on drugs. K-pop star cleared of drug allegations.

South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, who is best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, has tragically been found dead, according to police. The 48-year-old actor was discovered unconscious in a car at a park in central Seoul on Wednesday. It is uncertain whether Lee took his own life, but police received a report that he had left home after writing a note, according to Yonhap news agency.

Lee had been under investigation for alleged drug use since October. Yonhap reports that he was suspected of taking drugs with an employee at a bar in Seoul. He claimed that he had unknowingly taken illicit drugs given to him by the employee. The hostess had reportedly told the police that he used drugs at her home multiple times, which he denied. He had even requested to take a lie detector test through his lawyer. However, his drug tests had returned negative or inconclusive results.

In a statement, Lee's agency, HODU&U Entertainment, expressed deep sorrow and despair over his passing. They urged the public to refrain from spreading false facts based on speculation so that Lee's final journey will not be unfair.

Lee, who was married to actress Jeon Hye-jin and had two sons, had a successful acting career spanning over two decades. He starred as the lead in numerous films and TV shows, becoming a household name through the 2010s. His role as Park Dong-ik in Parasite brought him international fame, as the film swept four awards at the Oscars in 2020, including best picture.

The drug investigation had caused significant damage to Lee's reputation, leading to his removal from the mystery TV series No Way Out. Drug offences, including marijuana use, are considered serious crimes in South Korea, with consumption of marijuana carrying prison sentences of up to five years.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed a crackdown on drugs, with the country's authorities expanding its drug crimes department and the national police chief pledging "a total war to stem out drug crimes." Lee is not the only South Korean celebrity who has been investigated for drug use recently, as K-pop star G-Dragon was cleared of drug allegations earlier this month, and actor Yoo Ah-in is currently standing trial for drug use.