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On Wednesday, December 27, Lee Sun-kyun, a 48-year-old South Korean actor, who won several awards and gained worldwide recognition for his role in the Oscar-winning movie Parasite, was discovered dead in Seoul.
Just before 11 am., the police discovered Lee Sun-kyun's body in a parked vehicle in central Seoul, according to Jeon Yu-deung, the head investigator at the Seongbuk police station, who is in charge of the probe into the cause of death.
The location trace from the late actor's phone was used by the authorities to locate his corpse after his manager notified him missing earlier in the day.
Additionally, according to Jeon Yu-deung, the Parasite actor left what looked to be a suicide note. TV Chosun disclosed the contents of the parting message in the most recent report and it read (as reported by Allkpop):
"There's nothing that can be done. This is the only way. I'm sorry the penalty fees for the advertisement and film are so high."
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to drug addiction and suicide.
MBC reporter criticizes South Korean media's harsh judgements for "ruining" late actor Lee Sun-kyun's life
On December 27, 2023, late actor Lee Sun-kyun's death was addressed by a female MBC broadcaster Lee Sun-young, who also publicly chastised the media.
A letter expressing sympathy to the Parasite actor's grieving family was posted on Facebook by 36-year-old broadcaster Lee Sun-young.
MBC reporter Lee Sun-young stated that it is impossible to know the late Lee Sun-kyun's feelings before he took his own life, but she wished to draw attention to the KBS exclusive reports.
KBS had earlier made public a private telephone conversation that was supposed to have stayed discrete between the Parasite actor and the manager of an entertainment company, identified as "A."
Lee Sun-young took issue with KBS for publishing the text of the conversation and wrote, (as reported by Allkpop):
"We cannot know how the late Lee Sun Gyun felt when it comes to his death but I want to point out the exclusive reports made by KBS. The conversation in the call with the person identified as the manager of an entertainment establishment should have remained private. While it's possible to criticize the actions of the deceased, I don't know what journalistic value there was in that report, except ruining someone's life."
She continued:
"That report is just a 'knife' wielded not just at the late Lee Sun Gyun but it stabbed innocent people, his wife and children. It is a lasting scar that would be difficult to heal in this digital era when everything is preserved on the internet. His decision (to take his own life) was wrong. I'm worried about the family he left behind. I hope the people around them can protect them well. I loved his acting. May he rest in peace..."
Along with BIGBANG star G-Dragon, Lee Sun-kyun has been the focus of a local police probe into drug-related allegations for the past few months.
Since October 2023, Lee had been the subject of many interrogations by the police in Incheon, a city west of Seoul, on the suspicion that he used illegal narcotics. In many public declarations, he refuted the charges and claimed he was the object of a blackmail attempt, as reported by Yonhap News.
However, on December 24, 2023, the late actor was interrogated by the police for 19 hours, throughout the night despite the human rights law stating that no investigation can be carried out from 9 pm to 6 am.
Lee's three drug tests came out clean, proving his innocence, yet netizens and fans claim that the media and police brutally harassed the late actor.
South Korea's former President Moon Jae-in express his deep condolences to late actor Lee Sun-kyun's family
On December 29, former South Korean President Moon Jae-in addressed the death of the late actor Lee Sun-kyun, The former President expressed his condolences by sharing a post on his Facebook page, following the untimely death of the actor.
He stated that it is even more heartbreaking since it appears that the media's reporting style and law enforcement organisations' investigation procedures served as the impetus for his unfortunate choice.
He went on, in order to stop similar tragic incidents from happening again, he hoped that this sad tragedy would spur reflection and a change from outdated investigation and reporting methods.
Former President Moon Jae-in wrote:
"I mourn the unfortunate death of actor Lee Sun-kyun. As an actor that I've become familiar with through movies and dramas, it feels as though a close acquaintance has departed from this world. It is even more heart-wrenching as it seems the investigative practices of law enforcement agencies and the reporting behaviour of the media is the catalyst for his tragic decision."
Former President Moon Jae-in continued:
"I sincerely hope that this sorrowful incident prompts introspection and a departure from regressive investigative and reporting practices, preventing the recurrence of such heartbreaking events."
In his post, Former President Moon Jae-in asserted that the country has to stop circumstances in which rumours and accusations proliferate in the media, seriously damaging people's reputations and devaluing their dignity before any criminal charges are proven, and eventually contributing to fatal consequences. He wrote:
"We must put an end to situations where allegations and speculations flood the media, causing significant harm to reputation and dignity to individuals even before criminal charges are confirmed, ultimately leading to tragic outcomes."
As reported by Yonhap News on December 29, 2023, the remains of the late actor Lee Sun-kyun will be interred in a memorial park in Gwangju, which is 32 kilometres southeast of Seoul, after he is cremated.
His organisation said earlier this week that the burial will take place in private and urged the public to respect the privacy of the mourning family.
Disclaimer: Get assistance right away if you think that you or someone you know is in danger of self-harm or suicide by getting in touch with organizations that specialize in crisis intervention and suicide prevention both domestically and internationally.
