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| Lee Sun-kyun in Parasite |
Lee Sun-kyun, the musician, film and television actor best known in the West for his role in the Oscar-winning Parasite, has been found dead in his car in central Seoul, it was announced today. The actor had been subjected to intense press scrutiny following allegations of illegal drug use, and his death appears to have been a suicide.
In October, following the highly publicised announcement of a national crackdown on illegal drug use, Lee was taken into questioning by the police, a process which was repeated on two further occasions. He revealed that he had taken pills given to him by a bar hostess, which he said he had thought were painkillers, and he alleged that she had subsequently told him they were illegal and tried to blackmail him. No trace of any illegal substance was found in his body. Shortly before his death, he had asked to take a lie detector test to prove his innocence.
Although Lee continued to insist on his innocence and his lawyer stressed that the only evidence against him was one person's word, press coverage of the press was extremely hostile. Lee suffered serious damage to his career and spoke of his feeling that he had disappointed people and caused pain to his family.
Prior to the scandal, Lee had a wholesome image and was widely admired for his craft. He occasionally performed on stage in dramas and musicals, playing brad in The Rocky Horror Show and Danny in Grease, but he was most widely known within Korea for his work in several popular TV series, such as White Tower and My Mister, winning multiple awards. He shared a SAG award with his-co-stars for their work in Parasite. His other big-screen works include Hong Sang-soo hits Night And Day and Nobody's Daughter Haewon.
Lee is survived by his wife, Ashfall star Jeon Hye-jin, and their two sons, aged 12 and 14.
