In a heartbreaking turn of events, South Korean actor Lee Sun-Kyun, renowned for his role in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” has been found dead in an apparent suicide. The 48-year-old actor was discovered inside a vehicle at a park in central Seoul, according to reports from Yonhap news agency, citing police sources.
Lee Sun-Kyun had been the subject of a police investigation related to his alleged use of marijuana and other psychoactive drugs. The scandal had tarnished his once-celebrated image, leading to reports that he was being dropped from television and commercial projects.
A graduate of South Korea’s prestigious Korea National University of Arts, Lee embarked on his acting career in 2001 with a role in the television sitcom “Lovers.” Over the years, he gained acclaim for diverse roles, including a charismatic chef and a diligent architectural engineer dealing with marital infidelity.
Internationally, Lee achieved widespread recognition for his portrayal of the wealthy and shallow patriarch in director Bong Joon-ho’s critically acclaimed 2019 film “Parasite.”
Tragically, Lee Sun-Kyun’s promising career has come to an untimely end. His final film, the 2023 horror flick “Sleep,” where he played a husband grappling with sleepwalking and its chilling consequences, was well-received critically and featured at the Cannes festival.
