Lee Sun-kyun, a popular South Korean actor known for his role in the award-winning film Parasite, has been found dead at 48 in a car in South Korea, authorities have said.
The Korea Times reports Lee Sun-kyun was found at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning near Waryong Park in central Seoul, unconscious in a car, where the actor was pronounced dead. In the report, the Times mentions Lee had been under suspicion “of using marijuana and other illegal drugs” at the residence of a hostess who works at a high-end bar in Seoul‘s Gangnam district multiple times since early 2023, including last Saturday, when questioning allegedly lasted for 19 hours. When Lee was found, there was a charcoal briquette — which can cause fatal carbon monoxide poisoning — found in the vehicle’s front passenger seat.
Lee Sun-kyun’s wife, Jeon Hye-Jin, allegedly reported to police that he left a suicide note, and after being questioned regarding illegal substance use on October 28, he apologized for causing “immense disappointment” and saying, “I am sorry for my family, who are enduring extreme pain at this moment.” Lee Sun-Kyun was known for his role in the film Parasite, and last year, he was nominated for the Best Actor award at the International Emmy Awards for his role in the sci-fi film Dr. Brain.
Lee Sun-kyun was known for his 2023 TV Series Payback, as well as many other accreditations and was a storied South Korean actor. His latest film, Sleep, sees Sun-kyun as Hyun-su, a sleepwalking terror starring alongside Kim Gook Hee, who plays wife figure, Min Jeong, who must figure out how to stop the sleepwalking before harm befalls himself or his family due to the affliction.
Lee Sun-kyun’s loss is tragic, and he is survived by his wife, Jeon Hye Jin and two sons.
