SEOUL, South Korea — Lee Sun-kyun, a preferred South Korean actor greatest identified for his function within the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” was discovered useless in a automotive in Seoul on Wednesday, authorities stated, after weeks of an intense police investigation into his alleged drug use.
Police and emergency officers initially discovered Lee in what they believed was an unconscious state within the automotive parked on a avenue in northern Seoul. Emergency officers later confirmed he was useless, in keeping with Seoul’s Seongbuk police station.
Police had been looking for Lee, 48, after receiving a report that he was lacking, Seongbuk police stated.
They refused to offer additional particulars together with whether or not they had decided Lee killed himself. But South Korean media shops together with Yonhap information company stated that Lee’s household earlier Wednesday reported to police that he left dwelling after writing a message just like a suicide be aware.
Lee’s physique was later transported to a close-by Seoul hospital, in keeping with Seongbuk police.
Lee appeared in “Parasite,” which received Oscars for greatest image and three different classes in 2020. The class satire was the primary non-English-language movie to win greatest image within the then-92-year historical past of the Academy Awards, and was the primary South Korean film ever to win an Oscar. In the movie, Lee performed the pinnacle of a rich household.
In 2021, he received a Screen Actors Guild award for “cast in a motion picture” for his function in the identical movie. He was nominated for greatest actor on the International Emmy Awards for his efficiency within the sci-fi thriller “Dr. Brain” final 12 months, as effectively.
Even earlier than “Parasite,” Lee had been a preferred 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 recognition 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. The investigation prompted in depth tabloid protection. Lee insisted he was tricked into taking the medication and that he didn’t know what he was taking, in keeping with Yonhap.
• Associated Press author Juwon Park contributed to this report.
