World (LNW): Acclaimed actor Lee Sun-kyun, known for his role in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” was discovered dead in an apparent suicide on Wednesday (27) amidst an ongoing investigation into suspected drug use.
A man in his 40s was found unconscious in a car at a central Seoul park at 10:30 a.m., later identified as Lee. A charcoal briquette was found in the passenger seat. Police received a prior report stating that Lee had left home after leaving a memo resembling a suicide note.
Upon pronouncing him dead, emergency services did not transport him to a hospital, a fire official stated.
Lee had undergone three rounds of police questioning regarding allegations of using marijuana and other illicit substances at the residence of a hostess from a high-end bar in Seoul’s Gangnam district, spanning several instances since the beginning of the year, with the latest occurrence reported last Saturday.
The actor contended that he was deceived by the hostess into consuming the drugs and was unaware of their nature. Despite testing negative in both the brief reagent test during police investigations and the lab-based drug test conducted by the National Forensic Service last month, Lee faced ongoing scrutiny.
The day before his death, Lee had submitted a polygraph test request to the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency, the authority overseeing the investigation, maintaining his innocence.
Lee Sun-kyun gained international recognition following the success of “Parasite,” which won multiple Academy Awards in 2020.
