South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, famous for his role in the hit film Parasite, was found dead, South Korea’s emergency office announced Wednesday (December 27).
The 48-year-old comedian was found unconscious inside a vehicle in the center of the capital, Seoul, with a lit charcoal briquette next to him, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said, citing the police.
The latter, according to the agency, was looking for Lee Sun-kyun because his family reported that he had left home after writing a message resembling a suicide note earlier on Wednesday.
Affected by a scandal
Lee Sun-kyun was under police investigation for suspected use of cannabis and other psychotropic drugs. This scandal tainted his image as a successful actor, depriving him of television appearances and advertising contracts, according to several South Korean media.
He was a familiar figure on South Korean screens before becoming known abroad for his role in Parasite − which garnered four Oscars in 2020 including Best Picture after receiving the Palme d’Or at Cannes − in which he plays the head of a rich family. He became known in his country for his role in the series Coffee Prince, and Behind The White Tower in 2007, then Pasta (2010) and My Mister (2018). After Parasite, the actor was seen in the series Dr Brain (2021), a high-tech variation on the myth of Frankenstein.