‘Parasite’ actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead, South Korean officials say

SEOUL, South Korea — Actor Lee Sun-kyun, who starred in the 2019 Academy Award-winning movie “Parasite,” was found dead on Wednesday, South Korean authorities said. He was 48.

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Lee was discovered by police at an unidentified location in Seoul but did not provide further details, according to The Associated Press. South Korea’s emergency office later said that Lee was found dead in a vehicle in a central Seoul park, the news organization reported. The actor was found next to charcoal briquettes inside the vehicle, Reuters reported.

Lee recently went through three rounds of questioning by police on suspicions of using marijuana and other illegal drugs at the home of a hostess employed at a high-end bar in Seoul’s Gangnam district on multiple occasions since early this year, The Korea Times reported.

BREAKING: Actor Lee Sun-kyun of Oscar-winning film ‘Parasite’ dies https://t.co/yLnGp8RR9B
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 27, 2023

Lee was last questioned on Saturday, according to Korea Joongang Daily.

The actor claimed he was tricked by the hostess into taking the drugs, the Times reported.

South Korean media outlets, including the Yonhap news agency, reported that police had been searching for Lee after his family reported he left home after writing a message similar to a suicide note earlier Wednesday, the AP reported.

Lee rose to global fame for his role in “Parasite.” The actor played Park Dong-ik, the patriarch of the rich family, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Lee won a Screen Actors Guild Award along with the rest of the film’s cast, the entertainment news website reported.

“Parasite” won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay.

Lee was also featured in the Apple TV+ series “Dr. Brain,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Note: If you or someone you know is thinking of harming themselves, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free support via the Lifeline by dialing 988. For more about risk factors and warning signs, visit the organization’s official website.