The actor had been underneath investigation for alleged unlawful drug use. Seoul police level to obvious suicide.
South Korean actor Lee Solar-kyun, greatest recognized for his position within the Oscar-winning movie Parasite, has been discovered useless, police mentioned.
Lee, 48, died by obvious suicide in a Seoul park on Wednesday, based on officers within the capital.
The actor had been underneath police investigation over his alleged drug use. Infringements of South Korea’s robust drug legal guidelines can result in six months in jail, or as much as 14 years for repeat offenders and sellers.
Lee was present in a automotive at a park in central Seoul, police mentioned.
“Less than 30 minutes earlier, his manager had called for help after the embattled actor left his home, leaving behind what appeared to be a suicide note,” mentioned Al Jazeera’s Eunice Kim, reporting from Seoul.
South Korea’s Yonhap information company reported, citing police, that Lee had left a “note that reads like a will”.
“The top actor had been under intense pressure since October,” our correspondent mentioned. “That’s when he faced allegations of drug use, including marijuana, which is a high crime here in South Korea. Over the weekend he underwent intense police questioning, some 19 hours.”
South Korean actor Lee Solar-Kyun from the Oscar-winning movie ‘Parasite’ has been discovered useless at 48, whereas underneath investigation for unlawful drug use ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/2RRaiCxyzK
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 27, 2023
The actor had confronted police questioning 3 times over accusations of unlawful drug use amid a authorities crackdown.
Lee had mentioned he was tricked into taking medication that he believed had been sleeping capsules by a bar hostess making an attempt to blackmail him, our correspondent mentioned.
South Korea is underneath a wider crackdown on drug use after President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a warfare on medication this yr.
“Several celebrities have been called in for questioning in recent months,” Kim mentioned. “South Korea does have some of the strictest rules when it comes to illegal substances, with prison time upwards of 14 years even if the drug use happened outside of the country.”
Our correspondent mentioned messages of grief had been pouring in since information of Lee’s demise was confirmed.
As soon as celebrated for his healthful picture, native information shops reported that the actor was being dropped from tv and industrial initiatives following the drug use scandal.
A graduate of South Korea’s prestigious Korea Nationwide College of Arts, Lee made his performing debut in 2001 in a tv sitcom titled Lovers.
He later gained approval for his performances in a wide range of roles, together with a charismatic chef and a genius neuroscientist who’s incapable of empathy.
Globally, he’s greatest recognized for his portrayal of the rich and shallow patriarch in director Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 Oscar-winning movie, Parasite.
