'Parasite' actor Lee Sun Kyun was blackmailed and harassed, claim fans

South Korea’s top star Lee Sun Kyun, known for his roles in the Oscar-winning film Parasite was found dead on December 27 KST. Police officials confirmed the news after responding to a woman's distress call around 10 PM on December 26. She reported that her husband had left home, leaving a note suggesting suicidal intentions.

The authorities later revealed the identity of the deceased as none other than the prominent actor Lee Sun Kyun, who had been entangled in a drug case since October of this year. After the news broke, fans, especially on the internet, expressed outrage, suggesting that the actor's death resulted from intense scrutiny and asserting that he didn't deserve any of it.

For several months, the talented actor known as Coffee Prince had been subjected to an intense trial in the South Korean media. The actor was targeted every day and was under continual observation, according to a close source of his. It was shocking to watch his unexpected death, which was supposedly a "suicide." On December 26, KST, the actor, through his attorney, gave a written statement to the drug criminal investigation section of the Incheon Police Agency following an overnight investigation. He said in the statement that he would be open to taking a lie detector test. Throughout the inquiry, he even produced three negative results.

Upon arrival, the police found additional evidence, including burning charcoal briquettes in his car, suggesting suicide. Lee Sun Kyun had been under police investigation for suspected drug use since October.

A fan wrote “What’s crazy as is that man tested negative for drugs in like 3 rounds of investigation and they still were not letting up. And it was only marijuana and sleeping pills and he swore he didn’t know what he was taking. But all that aside none of that shit was worth his life”.

Fans even said that the actor was constantly on the radar of the locals and was being harassed and blackmailed often. “pray for the SK media & online netzen culture that harasses and shame people endlessly for minor transgressions”.

Netizens called out the extreme bullying culture of the country “this pissed me off so bad, sk needs to do something about its harassment and bullying culture this is absolutely ridiculous may he rest in peace he was so talented man…” a user wrote, while others commented “this man was bullied, blackmailed and humiliated until he reached his limits while convicted rapists and sexual offenders are only given at least a year of imprisonment in south korea”, “They harassed him over drug allegations for months..treated him like a damn criminal and this is the result...I'm devastated..he was a brilliant actor.”

It was found in October that a number of well-known South Korean actors were connected to a narcotics case. At a swanky pub in Seoul's Gangnam neighbourhood, Lee was exposed to three rounds of police interrogation on his alleged usage of marijuana and illicit drugs. The last round was held on Saturday of last week. The actor said that because the hostess had duped him, he had taken the drugs without realising it.