South Korean actor and Parasite star Lee Sun-kyun dies at 48 | Arts and Culture News

The actor had been beneath investigation for alleged unlawful drug use. Seoul police level to obvious suicide.

South Korean actor Lee Solar-kyun, greatest recognized for his position within the Oscar-winning movie Parasite, has been discovered lifeless, police mentioned.

Lee, 48, died by obvious suicide in a Seoul park on Wednesday, based on officers within the capital.

The actor had been beneath police investigation over his alleged drug use. Infringements of South Korea’s robust drug legal guidelines can result in six months in jail, or as much as 14 years for repeat offenders and sellers.

Lee was present in a automotive at a park in central Seoul, police mentioned.

“Lower than half-hour earlier, his supervisor had referred to as for assist after the embattled actor left his residence, abandoning what gave the impression to be a suicide notice,” mentioned Al Jazeera’s Eunice Kim, reporting from Seoul.

South Korea’s Yonhap information company reported, citing police, that Lee had left a “notice that reads like a will”.

“The highest actor had been beneath intense strain since October,” our correspondent mentioned. “That’s when he confronted allegations of drug use, together with marijuana, which is a excessive crime right here in South Korea. Over the weekend he underwent intense police questioning, some 19 hours.”

South Korean actor Lee Solar-Kyun from the Oscar-winning movie ‘Parasite’ has been discovered lifeless at 48, whereas beneath investigation for unlawful drug use ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/2RRaiCxyzK

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 27, 2023

The actor had confronted police questioning thrice over accusations of unlawful drug use amid a authorities crackdown.

Lee had mentioned he was tricked into taking medication that he believed had been sleeping tablets by a bar hostess attempting to blackmail him, our correspondent mentioned.

South Korea is beneath a wider crackdown on drug use after President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a warfare on medication this 12 months.

“A number of celebrities have been referred to as in for questioning in current months,” Kim mentioned. “South Korea does have a number of the strictest guidelines in relation to unlawful substances, with jail time upwards of 14 years even when the drug use occurred exterior of the nation.”

Our correspondent mentioned messages of grief had been pouring in since information of Lee’s loss of life was confirmed.

As soon as celebrated for his healthful picture, native information retailers reported that the actor was being dropped from tv and industrial tasks following the drug use scandal.

A graduate of South Korea’s prestigious Korea Nationwide College of Arts, Lee made his performing debut in 2001 in a tv sitcom titled Lovers.

He later gained approval for his performances in quite a lot of roles, together with a charismatic chef and a genius neuroscientist who’s incapable of empathy.

Globally, he’s greatest recognized for his portrayal of the rich and shallow patriarch in director Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 Oscar-winning movie, Parasite.