Star of the movie "Parasite" Lee Sun Gyun has passed away

The lead actor in the movie "Parasite", South Korean actor Lee Sung-kyun, has died at the age of 48. He was found dead in his car near Seoul's central park. The cause of death is suspected to be suicide, which may have been caused by depression amid an investigation into suspected drug use.

Police found the actor unconscious in his car on Tuesday morning. He was not taken to the hospital, as his death was pronounced on the spot. Police suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, Yonhap News Agency reported. Earlier, the police received a message from the actor’s wife that he had left home, leaving a note similar to a suicide note, and that his car was missing.

Before his death, Lee underwent three rounds of police questioning after he was suspected of using illegal substances. He was suspected of using drugs several times this year - including last Saturday - at the home of a hostess at one of Seoul's upscale bars. The actor claimed that he was tricked into taking drugs and that he did not know what he was taking. He was banned from leaving the country during the investigation. The last interrogation in the case took place last week and lasted more than 19 hours.

Sung Gyun has repeatedly undergone laboratory and rapid tests for the use of prohibited substances and all of them showed negative results. He also reportedly applied to take a lie detector test to prove his innocence. If proven guilty, the actor could receive several years in prison.

Lee Sun Kyun gained worldwide fame in 2019 after the release of director Bong Joon Ho's film "Parasite", which received many awards, including an Oscar. The actor's famous works also included the films "Helpless", "All About My Wife", "A Hard Day" and others.

Lee is survived by his wife, actress Jeon Hye-jin, and two teenage sons.