Lee Sun-kyun was a renowned 48-year-old South Korean actor who starred in one of the most successful films in history: Parasite, where he portrayed Dong Ik. He had an illustrious career that spanned over two decades, both in cinema and television.
During the early hours of Wednesday, members of his inner circle were met with the tragic news of the star’s passing. According to the Yonhap news agency, he was found unconscious inside a parked car in a central Seoul park at 10:30 local time.
Fans have shared their heartfelt condolences on social media, and some media outlets quickly began disseminating details about the incident. Apparently, Lee was under investigation on suspicion of having consumed marijuana and other illegal drugs in South Korea.
What was the cause of Lee Sun-kyun’s death?
Apparently, according to various South Korean media outlets, the 48-year-old talented actor’s cause of death is believed to be suicide. After being found in his car, it was confirmed that a piece of charcoal had been discovered in the passenger seat.
Lee Sun-kyun in Parasite. (Source: IMDb)
The police were informed that the young star had left a suicide note at his home, indicating that he had decided to take his own life. For some time, he had been facing legal issues and was under investigation for the consumption of illegal drugs.
Marijuana and other substances are illegal in South Korea, so authorities had their eyes on him as he had been frequenting the residence of a hostess working at a luxury bar in the Gangnam district several times since January 2023.
Due to all of this, Lee had to undergo three interrogations, with the most recent one taking place over the past weekend. There, he was questioned for nearly 19 hours, confessing that the woman had deceived him into consuming the substances without his knowledge.
Despite all the back-and-forth, the actor tested negative for drugs in the reagent test he underwent during the investigation, as well as in the laboratory test ordered by the National Forensic Service in November.
What measures did Lee Sun-kyun take during the investigation?
After being under intense scrutiny and following numerous studies/interrogations, the actor submitted a request to the police department handling the investigation to undergo a polygraph test, claiming his innocence.
This took place on Tuesday, December 26, a day before his passing. In October, he had also filed a lawsuit against two individuals, including the woman mentioned earlier, for blackmail related to the investigation.
The woman was ultimately arrested in November, and according to the Yonhap news agency, authorities are believed to have requested an arrest warrant for the other person, whose name, role, and whereabouts remain a mystery.
