Actor shot to worlwide fame after starring in “Parasite,” a South Korean satarical thriller that made history by becoming the first foreign-language movie to have won the best picture award at the 2020 Oscars.
South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun — best known for starring in Oscar-winning film “Parasite” has died — South Korea’s emergency office said Wednesday.
Lee was found dead in a car in a central Seoul park on Wednesday, it said.
Police officers earlier said they discovered an unconscious Lee at an unidentified location in Seoul on Wednesday.
South Korean Yonhap news agency reported Lee’s wife as having alerted police after he left home and she found what appeared to be a suicide note.
Police have investigated Lee previously over alleged illegal drug use.
Breakout hit of 2020
“Parasite,” directed by Bong Joon Ho, is a dark comedy thriller about members of a poor family who manipulate their way into the lives of a wealthy family.
Lee played the head of the wealthy family. The film explores themes of class inequality and the struggle for survival in modern-day South Korea.
In 2021, Lee won a Screen Actors Guild award for “cast in a motion picture” for his role in the same film.
Bong, who was already an acclaimed director at home, also took the prize for best screenplay and best director at the 2020 Oscars.
Lee was also nominated for the best actor at the International Emmy Awards for his performance in the sci-fi thriller “Dr. Brain” last year.
