'Parasite' Star Lee Sun-kyun 'Begged' Police Not to Announce Drug Probe Before Apparent Suicide at 48: Report
"Parasite" star Lee Sun-kyun reportedly begged South Korean investigators not to disclose a drug probe into the actor before his apparent suicide this week.
Dec. 28 2023, Published 2:00 p.m. ET
Parasite star Lee Sun-kyun reportedly begged South Korean investigators not to disclose a drug probe into the actor before his apparent suicide this week, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In the latest development to come after Sun-kyun, 48, was found dead from an apparent suicide inside his car in Seoul on Wednesday morning, sources revealed that the Parasite actor had asked police not to announce that he was called in for questioning in connection to the drug probe on Saturday.
Sun-kyun, 48, was found dead from an apparent suicide inside his car in Seoul on Wednesday morning.
According to Daily Mail, Sun-kyun’s lawyer requested that the investigators “close” Saturday’s 19-hour interview off to the press. The investigators reportedly rejected the request.
The Parasite star’s lawyer also reportedly asked on Tuesday that any future police interviews be conducted “behind close doors” because Sun-kyun felt “burdened” by discussing the matter in public. Sun-kyun was found dead hours later.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Sun-kyun’s death on Wednesday came after it was revealed that the South Korean actor was the subject of a drug investigation involving marijuana and other illicit substances.
Sun-kyun was first accused of using marijuana and other illegal drugs by the hostess of a club in the Gangnam District earlier this year, according to the South Korean outlet Yonhap News.
Sun-kyun’s lawyer requested that the investigators “close” Saturday’s 19-hour interview off to the press.
The Parasite actor repeatedly denied the drug allegations against him and claimed that he was “tricked” into taking the illegal drugs as part of a blackmailing scheme by the hostess and one other individual.
Sun-kyun later filed a lawsuit against his alleged blackmailer before his suspected suicide on Wednesday morning, and Incheon police confirmed that they have since arrested one woman and one man in connection to the drug investigation and alleged blackmailing scheme.
The South Korean movie star was reportedly called in for highly public interview sessions three times between October and his death on Wednesday. The last session took place on Saturday and lasted 19-hours.
Although Incheon Metropolitan Police Chief Kim Hui-jung expressed “deep regret” over Sun-kyun apparent suicide, the police chief also justified the arduous drug probe into Sun-kyun.
Sun-kyun passed several drug tests amid the drug probe against him.
“The investigation of the deceased was conducted based on specific reports, testimony and evidence and under legally prescribed procedures,” Hui-jung said in a statement.
It should be noted that Sun-kyun passed several drug tests amid the drug probe against him.
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Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in condemned the Incheon police’s probe into Sun-kyun and demanded that such intense practices “must end.”
“The practice that does huge damage to someone's honor and character, such as excessively putting them at a media photoline, and pushes them to take the extreme choice must now end,” Moon wrote after the actor’s death was announced this week.
“You cannot imagine how surprised and excited we were when they called ["Parasite"] for Best Picture."
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Before his death on Wednesday, Sun-kyun achieved international fame for starring as Park Dong-ik in the 2019 Academy-Award winning film directed by Bong Joon-ho.
“You cannot imagine how surprised and excited we were when they called [Parasite] for Best Picture,” Sun-kyun said during one of his last interviews. “I'll never forget it.”
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