Lee Sun-kyun, star of Oscar-winning Korean film “Parasite,” is being investigated by police over his alleged drug use, Korean news media report.
“Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency had begun an investigation into eight people, including the actor and the offspring of a chaebol [major family-controlled conglomerate], over allegations they took illegal drugs multiple times this year,” the publicly-owned Yonhap News Agency reported on Friday afternoon.
The news outlet also reported that “while the police have not officially named Lee as a suspect, they are said to have discovered a lead in connection with the actor’s illegal activities.” There has been no explanation of what substances Lee is alleged to have used.
Lee’s agency HODU&U, put out a statement addressing the allegations. “We sincerely apologize for causing concerns over reports about actor Lee Sun-kyun. We are checking the veracity of the suspicions raised against Lee, and will fully cooperate with any future police investigation,” it said.
The agency said that Lee himself had brought matters to the attention of the police, when he filed a blackmail complaint against another person allegedly involved in the same group. Lee’s complaint said that he had lost several hundreds of thousands of dollars to the alleged extortionist.
Earlier this year, “Burning” star Yoo Ah-in was accused of misusing prescription drugs. He has co-operated with authorities and appeared in court, and a request for a formal arrest warrant was turned down by a judge in May. Prosecutors refiled in September.
After his May court appearance, Yoo was hit on the head by a bottle-wielding assailant, an incident that points to Korean public opprobrium being as weighty a punishment as a court verdict.
Lee won a Screen Actors Guild award for ‘cast in a motion picture’ for his role in Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” in which he played Dong-ik, head of the wealthy Park family.
Lee is a very familiar figure on Korean screens. In Cannes this year he appeared in “Project Silence” and “Sleep.” The latter had its commercial release in September and topped the Korean box office charts for three weeks.
He also recently started in critically acclaimed “Killing Romance,” which played as the opening title at this year’s New York Asian Film Festival, and political drama film “Kingmaker.”
Lee’s upcoming roles include “The Land of Happiness,” “No Way Out” and a second season of Apple TV+’s “Dr. Brain.” “Project Silence” has not yet been released in Korea.
