South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning film ‘Parasite’ found dead

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning movie “Parasite” has been found unconscious, South Korean police said Wednesday.

Police officers discovered an unconscious Lee at an unidentified Seoul location on Wednesday but gave no further details, police said.

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.

‘Parasite’ Wins Best Picture Oscar

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).”