Lee Sun Kyun, alleged marijuana user, discovered deceased in car on December 27th.
Lee Sun Kyun, a renowned figure in the Korean entertainment industry, was discovered dead in his car on December 27. With acclaimed roles in hit films like Coffee Prince, My Mister, and Parasite, he had established himself as a globally recognized star. Tragically, he is reported to have taken his own life amidst an ongoing drug investigation. Despite three negative tests, he faced repeated probes for alleged marijuana consumption. Here’s how it started.
More about Lee Sun Kyun
Born on March 2, 1975, Lee Sun Kyun is a South Korean actor. While he had a long record of achievements in his film career, Lee’s stardom took off when his dark comedy Parasite won an Oscar. His performance as Bong Joon Ho in the Academy Award–winning movie earned him and his co-star Screen Actors Guild Awards. Later, he became a household name owing to some of his greatest hits, including Coffee Prince, A Hard Day, and All About My Wife.
Lee Sun Kyun stepped down from “No Way Out”
Before the news of his suspected involvement in the drug case went viral, the actor was set to take up a major role in the next K-drama No Way Out. However, he chose to withdraw from the film, despite director, Lee Sang Yong’s request to wait until the investigation concluded. Eventually, the role went to Actor Cho Jin Woong, renowned for his work in the K-drama Signal.
On October 20, actor Lee Sun Kyun’s alleged use of illegal drugs was officially confirmed, leading to the initiation of an investigation. Hodu Entertainment, his agency, made it clear that they are evaluating the charges brought against him.
BIGBANG’s G-Dragon’s alleged involvement
On October 25, another report surfaced citing K-pop idol and BIGBANG member G-Dragon‘s involvement in the same case. The rapper instantly refuted all the reports. Later, police confirmed that both the cases are being investigated separately with no connection to each other.
Both G-Dragon and the Parasite actor were prohibited from leaving South Korea because of an ongoing investigation into allegations of drug use as of October 27.
Lee Sun Kyun opened up about the case
On October 28, the actor issued a public apology referring to the case he was involved in. He said “I would like to bow my head in apology to everyone who has trusted me and supported me all this time. As I delivered through my agency, my position is that I will faithfully participate in the investigation with an honest attitude. I feel very sorry for my family, who is suffering a lot at the moment. I will sincerely and truthfully answer [the questions] during the investigation”
Lee Sun Kyun tested negative
Despite careful examination to address drug use queries, it was proven on November 3 that actor Lee Sun Kyun’s hair was clean of drug residues. This suggested that he hadn’t taken any of these drugs in the ten months prior.
The actor consistently denied any involvement with hard drugs, asserting that he was deceived. As reported by JTBC, he said “I had taken it through the nose, using a straw, but I thought they were sleeping pills. I did not know that they were drugs,”
Due to his suspected participation with marijuana and illegal drug use in an elite club in Seoul’s Gangnam neighborhood, Lee was subjected to three rounds of police interrogation.
Disclaimer: Except the headline and synopsis, this story has been taken from the HT News Service.