Parasite actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead in car amid drug use case, police suspect suicide

Lee Sun-kyun, the Korean actor best known for his appearance in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, has reportedly passed away. South Korean media outlets have reported quoting Seoul Police that the actor was found unresponsive in a parked car in a car parking in the city on Wednesday. He was later declared dead. The actor was 48.

As per reports, a suicide note has been found and the police are investigating it as a potential suicide. As per a Yonhap report, Lee’s wife contacted the police a few hours after his death after she had found what appeared to be a suicide note. The report said that Lee's wife found the note after he left the home. However, the authorities have not officially concluded a cause of death.

Lee had been under trial for drug use since October. The case had become a major scandal in South Korea, where the actor was a known star. Throughout his trial, Lee has claimed that he was tricked into taking drugs and claimed his innocence. Lee was accused of consuming narcotics at a party in a club in Seoul earlier this year. The actor maintained that he took the drugs by accident and he was unaware of what he was taking.

Lee Sun-kyun, born in 1975, was active in the Korean entertainment industry for over two decades. In Parasite, the actor played the role of the rich patriarch of a wealthy family who are infiltrated by members of a poor family. The film won four awards at the 2020 Oscars, including the Best Picture. Lee played the lead role in various other Korean films, including All About My Wife and Helpless.