'Parasite' actor Lee Sun-kyun dead at age 48

South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, was found dead in Seoul at the age of 48. The actor was discovered in a vehicle that was found by the authorities after the search began.

"Police found a man in his 40s dead in a car near Waryong Park in central Seoul at 10:30 a.m. and later identified him as Lee. A charcoal briquette, which can cause fatal carbon monoxide poisoning, was found on the vehicle's front passenger seat," explained the South Korean national news network Yonhap .

"An investigation has been launched"

According to the information, it is not clear if Lee took his own life. Police said they received a complaint from Lee's manager saying the actor had left his house after writing a note. In addition, it was learned that he had been under investigation for alleged drug use since October.

"Police believe Lee took his own life. A police investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances surrounding Lee's death, including the time he arrived at the scene and the time of his death," Yonhap detailed.

"Lee has gone through three rounds of police questioning on suspicions of using marijuana and other illegal drugs at the home of a hostess working at a high-end bar in Seoul's Gangnam district on multiple occasions since early this year, including last Saturday, when the questioning lasted for 19 hours," the media outlet added.

Despite the investigation, Yonhap explained that "Lee tested negative in both the brief reagent test conducted during police investigations and the lab-based drug test by the National Forensic Service last month".

"Lee also filed a complaint against two people"

Lee also filed a complaint against two people, including the hostess, accusing them of blackmailing and swindling him out of money. Claiming his innocence, he also submitted a polygraph test request the previous day. His lawyer had insisted that a lie detector test should be used to determine the truth between Lee and the hostess, who has reportedly told the police that the actor used drugs at her home multiple times," the news agency detailed.

The actor became known internationally after Parasites, in which he played a role, won the Oscar in 2020.