South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, star of the film “Parasite”, dies at the age of 48

In the movie Parasite, he played a father from a wealthy family, who gets closer at his expense to the poor family he employs. South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun was found dead on Wednesday, December 27, in conditions akin to suicide, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap. The 48-year-old comedian’s body was found inside a vehicle in central Seoul, Yonhap said, citing police.

He who had achieved international notoriety thanks to the film by his compatriot Bong Joon-ho, rewarded among others by the Oscar for best film in 2020, was the subject of a police investigation for suspicion of cannabis use and other psychotropic drugs. This scandal, in a country where cannabis consumption is punishable by heavy prison sentences, has tarnished his image as a successful actor, depriving him of television appearances and advertising contracts, according to several South Korean media.

During his career, Lee Sun-kyun appeared in several feature films by director Hong Sang-soo, including Haewon and the men, in 2013. His last film, Sleepwhere he plays the role of a sleepwalking husband who terrorizes his wife, was presented out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 in the “Critics Week” category.