Lee Sun Kyun
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Lee Sun-kyun, the South Korean actor who starred in Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning film Parasite and also in the Apple TV+ series Dr. Brain was seen apparently dying by suicide. He was 48.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency reports that Lee was found dead in a car in a park in Seoul on Wednesday morning local time. Yonhap reports that Lee's wife reported to police that the actor had left home and that she found what appeared to be a suicide note.
Local media reported that Lee was being investigated over allegations of using illegal drugs. In recent weeks, the South Korean government's ongoing crackdown on hard drugs has led to a series of allegations against prominent figures, including actors, singers, celebrities and heirs to the country's richest families. K-pop singer G-Dragon is among those affected by the raids, although he was cleared of any wrongdoing last week.
Yonhap reports that Lee was questioned by police three times, including for 19 hours over the weekend, about his use of marijuana and psychoactive drugs. Lee has reportedly visited Seoul's Gangnam district several times since the beginning of this year, including last Saturday, where he allegedly took drugs. The actor reportedly said he was tricked into taking drugs by a bar hostess who then tried to blackmail him.
South Korea's drug laws are notoriously strict and crimes are typically punishable by at least six months in prison or up to 14 years for repeat offenders and drug dealers.
Lee is best known to Western audiences for his role as Park Dong-ik, the patriarch of the wealthy family that owns the house in which Bong's 2019 black thriller “Parasite” is set. Lee, along with the rest of the Parasite cast, was honored with a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Lee Sun Kyun in Parasite. Everett Collection
Lee was born in Seoul in 1975 and studied theater at the Korea National University of Arts. He made his television breakthrough in the medical drama “White Tower” (2007) and was positively received in the youth drama “Coffee Prince” (2007).
On television, Lee was known for his collaboration with writer Seo Sook-hyang. The two worked together on Drama City, the popular workplace romantic comedy Pasta (2010), in which the actor played an arrogant chef at an Italian restaurant, and the 1997 set drama Miss Korea (2013).
He moved into feature films and starred in two of the year's biggest Korean films in 2012, including the lead role in Byun Young-joo's psychological thriller “Helpless” and as the shy husband in Min Kyu-dong's romantic comedy “All About My Wife.”
A versatile actor, Lee worked seamlessly between major films and major television dramas, as well as appearing in theater productions. He starred in three indie films for prolific Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo, including Night and Day (2008), Oki's Movie (2010), and Nobody's Daughter Haewon (2013).
His other notable film appearances include the lead role in “A Hard Day” (2014), Kim Seong-hun's action thriller that screened in the “Directors' Fortnight” section of the Cannes Film Festival, and Park Chan's “Paju” (2009). -ok, the circuit that ran at the international festival.
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