SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Lee Sun-kyun, a well-liked South Korean actor finest recognized for his function within the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” was found dead in a automobile in Seoul on Wednesday, authorities mentioned, after weeks of an intense police investigation into his alleged drug use.
Police and emergency officers initially found Lee in what they believed was an unconscious state within the automobile parked on a road in northern Seoul. Emergency officers later confirmed he was dead, in response to Seoul’s Seongbuk police station.
Police had been trying to find Lee, 48, after receiving a report that he was lacking, Seongbuk police mentioned.
They refused to supply additional particulars together with whether or not they had decided Lee killed himself. But South Korean media retailers together with Yonhap information company mentioned that Lee’s household earlier Wednesday reported to police that he left residence after leaving a message much like a suicide observe.
Lee’s physique was later transported to a close-by Seoul hospital, in response to Seongbuk police.
Lee appeared in “Parasite,” which gained Oscars for finest image and three different classes in 2020. The class satire was the primary non-English-language movie to win finest image within the then-92-year historical past of the Academy Awards, and was the primary South Korean film to win an Oscar. In the movie, Lee performed the pinnacle of a rich household.
The movie’s solid, together with Lee, additionally gained a Screen Actors Guild award for the very best movement image ensemble solid in 2020. He was nominated for best actor on the International Emmy Awards for his efficiency within the sci-fi thriller “Dr. Brain” final yr, as nicely.
Even earlier than “Parasite,” Lee had been a well-liked actor in South Korea for a very long time. He rose to stardom for his function in successful TV drama sequence, “Coffee Prince (2007),” and gained mainstream reputation with the medical drama “Behind The White Tower (2007),” “Pasta (2010)” and “My Mister (2018).”
Lee had undergone police probes into allegations that he used unlawful medication on the residence of a bar hostess. Lee filed a swimsuit in opposition to two individuals together with the hostess, alleging they blackmailed him. The investigation prompted intensive tabloid protection. Lee insisted he was tricked into taking the medication and that he didn’t know what he was taking, in response to Yonhap.
South Korea has lengthy had the best suicide charge amongst developed international locations. It has additionally skilled a string of movie star suicides involving Okay-pop stars, outstanding politicians and enterprise executives. Experts say malicious and abusive on-line feedback and extreme cyberbullying have been blamed for most of the movie star suicides.
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Associated Press writers Jiwon Song and Juwon Park contributed to this report.
