Two months before his death Wednesday by an apparent suicide, acclaimed South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun was dropped from a major film project after news broke that he was being investigated on charges of illegally using marijuana, ketamine and other drugs in the company of a Seoul bar hostess, amid a nationwide crackdown on illegal drug use.
Lee, who shot to international fame in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” was set to star in the drama “No Way Out,” a dark comedy about the contract killing of a man who was just released from prison after serving 13 years. But Lee agreed to pull out of the project after it was revealed he was under investigation, the Hollywood Reporter revealed in October.
In late October, police booked Lee as a suspect in a drug investigation, the Yonhap News Agency reported. The arrest of Lee, who was said to be a household name in South Korea due to his film and TV work, was prompted by a tip that drugs were being illegally circulated among high-end bars in Seoul’s Gangnam District.
Since then, the 48-year-old actor had undergone three rounds of police questioning over allegations that he used marijuana and other drugs multiple times at the home of a woman who worked at one of the bars. His last interview with police took place Saturday and lasted 19 hours, the news agency said. His attorney vowed that the interview would be his last.
Lee insisted he had not knowingly taken illegal drugs and said the woman was trying to blackmail him; he filed a criminal case against her and another person, the Yonhap News Agency said.
Lee was found dead in his car near Waryong Park in central Seoul at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. His wife, actor Jeon Hye-jin, called police after finding a suicide note, the Daily Mail reported.
South Korea, like many Asian countries, has strict laws against drug use, the Daily Mail said. Those who sell or buy marijuana face a minimum of one year in prison. Those who use it can be sentenced to up to five years in prison or fined up to $37,600. Repeat offenders and dealers can face up to 14 years in prison, Reuters also reported.
In April, the South Korean government of President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an “all-out war against drug crimes,” following reports that drug dealers were deliberately targeting children with drinks that contained methamphetamine, according to the German news site DW.com. A politics professor expressed concern that young Koreans were being influenced by the illicit behavior of some of the country’s rich and famous, with several well-known Korean entertainers being implicated in high-profile police investigations.
In early 2023, K-pop singer and composer Kim Min-su, better known by his stage name Don Spike, received a three-year suspended jail sentence for buying and using $36,100 worth of methamphetamine, the Korea Herald reported. Meanwhile, actor Yoo Ah-in, who co-starred in the acclaimed film “Burning,” was arrested in March after testing positive for a cocktail of drugs, including cannabis, ketamine, cocaine and propofol, the Korea JoongAng Daily reported. Yoo, who appeared in court earlier this month, admitted to smoking marijuana but denied using other drugs, reports said.
Things have gone better for K-Pop star G-Dragon, who, like Lee, was arrested in October on charges of illegal drug use. Several days before Lee’s death, the singer and rapper, whose given name is Kwon Ji-yong, was cleared of drug charges, Reuters reported.
Following Lee’s first police interview in October, the actor apologized to the public for his “involvement in such a dishonorable affair” and pledged to cooperate with the investigation in an “honest” manner, the Daily Mail reported.
“I would like to sincerely apologize once again for causing so many people concerns,” he said, the Daily Mail reported. “I will answer all questions truthfully.”
Lee admitted that he met the hostess four times and inhaled a powder through the nose with a straw, the Korea Herald reported. But he said he thought the powder was a crushed sleeping pill, while the hostess, a woman in her 20s, said she saw him using ketamine.
“‘A’ tricked me into doing drugs,” Lee said. “I did not know that what she handed me were illegal drugs.”
Lee tested negative in at least two drug tests conducted during the investigation and underwent a polygraph test, with his lawyer saying the polygraph test would show that he, not the hostess, was telling the truth, the Yonhap News Agency also reported.
Lee’s attorney also decried the public humiliation his client had endured during the course of the investigation, particularly when he had to face the media when arriving at the police station for his interviews. The attorney said that any further interviews would be done in private as the actor felt “pressured” by having to appear in front of cameras in such moments.
If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.