Parasite's Lee Sun-kyun’s wife sobs at funeral as fury grows over his suicide

29 December 2023 , 12:47

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Parasite's Lee Sun-kyun’s wife sobs at funeral as fury grows over his suicide

Lee Sun-kyun's widow broke down in tears as she attended her husband's funeral following his apparent suicide earlier this week.

Actress Jeon Hye-jin, who married the late actor in 2009, weeped into a handkerchief as she followed Lee's funeral procession, which was led by the couple's eldest son who carried a portrait of his late father.

Jeon and Lee's younger son returned from his studies overseas to attend his father's private funeral on Friday, which was held at the Seoul National University Hospital amid growing concerns regarding the late actor's final few days.

The funeral was attended by many of the late star's colleagues, including Gong Hyo-jin, Ryu Seung-ryong and Lee Sung-min, and Lee's widow was later seen hugging her two sons before her late husband's body was taken to a crematorium.

Lee Sun-kyun's widow was inconsolable during his funeral on Friday morning (KOREA POOL/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

The Parasite actor's eldest son carried a picture of his dad as he led the procession (Getty Images)

Lee, who starred in Oscar-winning movie Parasite, was discovered unconscious in a vehicle in a central Seoul park, as reported by South Korea's emergency office this week. His wife Jeon Hye-jin alerted the police after finding what seemed to be a suicide note from her 48-year-old husband.

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Lee, who portrayed the Park family father in the Oscar-winning film 'Parasite', had been under scrutiny over alleged use of marijuana and other mind-altering substances. The father-of-two had faced questioning three times regarding these allegations, including a marathon 19-hour session with the authorities.

Reports suggest that Lee claimed he was duped into taking drugs by a bar hostess who later tried to blackmail him. In South Korea, those found guilty of drug-related crimes face severe penalties, with repeat offenders and dealers potentially facing up to 14 years behind bars. There is growing concern regarding the nature of the probe into the late actor's alleged drug use.

Many are critical of the decision to name Lee in regards to the investigation into his alleged drug use (Getty Images)

Lee was dropped from many big TV projects in October when the drug allegations against him become public knowledge. It's reported the late actor not only apologised to his family and loved ones in what is believed to be his sucide note, but also his agency's members.

"There was no need to name the suspect in the investigation", Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korea studies at the University of Oslo, told AFP when discussing the investigation. "In South Korea - to a much larger degree than in any European country with higher degrees of tolerance for the use of psychotropic stuffs - being named as a suspect in a drug investigation is a punishment per se, by social ostracism."

In late October, Lee, a Screen Actors Guild award winner for Parasite, apologised profusely to reporters outside Incheon police station, saying: "I sincerely apologise for causing great disappointment to many people by being involved in such an unpleasant incident. I feel sorry for my family, which is enduring such difficult pain at this moment."

Tributes have been pouring in from across the globe for the late actor (Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

Police were seen investigating Lee's car following his tragic end, where his body was found in a central Seoul park on the sad day of 27 December 2023. Reports stated that a charcoal briquette was found in the estranged actor's vehicle.

Lee was not only known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, but also for his acclaimed performances on stage, in other films and on TV. In 2009, he bagged a Best Actor award at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival for his role in Paju. He also starred in films like Helpless (2012), All About My Wife (2012) and Nobody's Daughter Haewon (2013). In 2021, he played a brain scientist in Dr. Brain, the first Korean-language show produced for Apple TV. His performance earned him a nomination.

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Zoe Delaney