Lee Sun-kyun, an actor in South Korea’s Oscar-winning film “Parasite”, was found dead on Wednesday by authorities following up a report that he had gone missing, a fire official in the capital said.
Lee, 48, who played the head of a wealthy household in the film, had faced investigation over accusations of illegal drug use amid a government crackdown in which police questioned him three times, with one session running 19 hours over the weekend.
The actor had said he was tricked into taking drugs by a bar hostess trying to blackmail him, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Authorities found Lee in a search triggered by the report that he was missing, the fire official told Reuters on condition of anonymity, as the matter is a sensitive one.
Earlier, citing police, Yonhap said Lee was found in a car at a park in Seoul, after his manager told police the actor had left home, leaving an apparent suicide note.
Officials at Seoul’s Jongno and Seongbuk police stations did not immediately respond to telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment.
Lee’s agency, HODU&U Entertainment, also did not respond to calls.
