The heartbroken family of Parasite star Lee Sun-kyun said goodbye to the actor, who was laid to rest surrounded by his friends and co-stars.
Mourners wept next to a vehicle carrying his coffin as they visited the funeral hall at Seoul National University Hospital in South Korea.
His wife Jeon Hye-jin, an actress and former Miss Korea contestant, and his two sons looked devastated as they attended the ceremony today.
The star's portrait was carried out of the funeral home by his eldest son, followed by his wife, who held hands for the couple's youngest child. Lee's friends and co-stars watched the funeral procession full of tears and sadness.
Fans taped memos to the walls of the funeral home – with messages such as “Goodbye My Mister” and “Now please rest in peace” to commemorate the actor's legacy.
Lee was found dead in his car on Wednesday morning at the age of 48 in a suspected suicide.
His wife called the police after finding a suicide note. His body was found in a parking lot in Seoul.
Lee Sun-kyun's wife Jeon Hye-jin, an actress and former Miss Korea contestant, looked devastated next to a vehicle carrying the late actor's coffin
Lee's wife and two sons looked heartbroken as they attended the star's funeral today
Lee Sun-kyun (pictured) was found dead in his car on Wednesday morning at the age of 48 in a suspected suicide
The hearse carrying the coffin of late South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun leaves a funeral hall after his funeral ceremony at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul
Mourners carry a portrait and the coffin containing the late South Korean actor Lee
A hearse carries the late actor's coffin during his funeral ceremony in Seoul today
The star will be cremated and his remains will be buried in a memorial park in Gwangju, 32 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
His agency earlier this week asked the public to respect the privacy of the heartbroken family, adding that the funeral would be private.
Lee married Jeon, who appeared as a contestant on Gyeongnam's behalf in the 1997 Miss Korea pageant, and the couple shared two sons.
Before his death, Lee was being investigated by police on allegations of using marijuana and a powder that his accuser, a hostess at a luxury bar, said was ketamine. She claimed the drugs were taken at her home.
After news of an official investigation into his alleged drug use was made public in late October, he was banned from major projects, including the mystery-thriller TV show “No Way Out,” which began filming this month.
The production company responsible for filming tried to fire him after police said they may have needed a sample of his hair for a drug test, local media reported.
The production company said at the time that it had informed all crew members and cast members working on the series, which is about a South Korean serial killer being hunted by a police officer, that filming would be postponed by two weeks in order to restart the series to organize watering.
Mourners carry a portrait and the coffin containing late South Korean actor Lee after his funeral ceremony at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul
At the funeral, crowds gathered to remember the late father, husband and actor
A hearse carrying the late actor's coffin can be seen at his funeral today
People carry the coffin containing the body of actor Lee during his funeral
The star will be cremated and his remains will be buried in a memorial park in Gwangju, 32 kilometers southeast of Seoul
His three appearances at police stations for questioning caused a huge stir and made headlines. His lawyer demanded after his last meeting on December 23 that any further questioning should be conducted in camera because of the “burden” of the spotlight.
Lee insisted he had not knowingly taken illegal drugs and passed toxicology tests: He demanded a lie detector test at the time of his death to determine whether he or the hostess – known only as “A” – were telling the truth.
He claimed she tried to blackmail him and filed a criminal complaint.
“I would like to sincerely apologize again for causing concern to so many people,” he said after his initial questioning on October 28 at the Nonhyeon police station in Incheon.
“I will answer all questions truthfully.”
“A” tricked me into taking drugs. “I didn’t know that what she gave me was illegal drugs.”
South Korea, like many Asian countries, has extremely strict laws against drug use. Anyone who sells or buys marijuana faces a prison sentence of at least one year. Anyone who uses it can be jailed for up to five years or fined up to $37,600.