Parasite star Lee Sun-kyun found dead after distressing note

Lee Sun-kyun, the renowned South Korean actor famous for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, passed away on Wednesday. Reports suggest that earlier that day, Lee had left his home after leaving a message similar to a suicide note, prompting his family to contact the authorities. Lee had been a prominent presence on Korean screens for many years before gaining international recognition through Parasite.

Seoul (South Korea): Actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning movie Parasite has died, South Korea’s emergency office said Wednesday. Lee was found dead at a car in a central Seoul park on Wednesday, it said. Police earlier said an unconscious Lee was discovered at an unidentified Seoul location.

South Korean media outlets reported that police had been searching for Lee after his family reported he left home after writing a message similar to a suicide note earlier Wednesday.

South Korean media including Yonhap news agency reported that Lee was found dead in a car at a Seoul park. Yonhap cited police as saying they had been searching for Lee after his family reported he left home after writing a message similar to a suicide note earlier Wednesday.

Yonhap said a man was later found unconscious at the Seoul park and that police identified him as Lee. Yonhap said Lee was later confirmed dead. It said a charcoal briquette was discovered in the passenger seat of the car.

Lee was best known for his role in Parasite, in which he played the head of a wealthy family. In 2021, he won a Screen Actors Guild award for “cast in a motion picture” for his role in the same film. He was nominated for the best actor at the International Emmy Awards for his performance in the sci-fi thriller Dr. Brain last year.

Lee was a familiar figure on Korean screens for decades before his Parasite fame abroad. He became well-known for his role in a popular drama series, Coffee Prince (2007), and gained mainstream popularity with the medical drama Behind The White Tower, followed by Pasta (2010) and My Mister (2018).