Lee Sun-kyun, star of the Academy-Award winning film ‘Parasite,’ has died at the age of 48. South Korean police confirmed the news on Wednesday, December 27, revealing that Lee was found dead in a parked car located in Seoul, after a search was underway when he was reported missing. Per law enforcement, Lee was found with a charcoal briquette in his passenger seat. Several South Korean media outlets have reported that Lee’s death is being treated as a suicide. South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency also reported on Wednesday that authorities have launched an investigation regarding his death.
Lee was under investigation by police for allegations that he had used illegal drugs while at the home of a hostess working at a South Korean bar, according to a Wednesday report from Yonhap. Lee was first questioned by police in October regarding the drugs, and apologized at the time for “causing immense disappointment … I am sorry for my family, who are enduring extreme pain at this moment.” While Lee has since maintained his innocence, and he tested negative in two drug tests following the initial incident. According to Yonhap, he was most recently questioned on Saturday, December 23.
Lee starred as Park Dong-ik (Nathan) in the 2019 movie Parasite. The film took home four Academy Awards at the 2020 Oscars, becoming the first non-English-language film to win best picture.
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