'Parasite' Star Lee Sun-kyun Was Dropped From New Film Project 2 Months Before Apparent Suicide

South Korea is mourning the death of famed actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his critical role in the Academy Award-winning film Parasite. The 48-year-old actor was discovered lifeless in a Seoul park in what appeared to be an apparent suicide, leaving fans and the film industry in mourning. Sun-kyun's tragic death came after a turbulent period that included allegations of drug usage and his release from an impending film project.

Sun-kyun was pulled from the cast of the highly anticipated drama No Way Out two months before his passing. The production of the film, a dark comedy about the contract assassination of a man who had just been freed from a 13-year jail sentence, was stopped for two weeks when the actor's involvement was cut short due to an ongoing police investigation into alleged drug use. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sun-kyun willingly chose to part from the project, recognizing the need to handle the emerging crisis.

The team behind No Way Out, Studio X+U, explained the decision in an October statement, saying, "Following an unfortunate incident last week with the actor Lee Sun-kyun, he expressed that it would take a considerable amount of time to sort out the current situation and that he will inevitably drop out. The company reached an agreement with Lee’s agency and respects the actor’s position. Shooting will continue as scheduled, and there will be no further delay."

The actor's withdrawal from the film production was not an isolated episode but rather part of a larger story involving drug claims that had dogged Sun-kyun in the months preceding his death. According to Page Six reports, the police had been looking into Sun-kyun for potential marijuana, ketamine, and other illegal substance use. Despite fiercely denying these allegations, the actor was subjected to severe scrutiny and many rounds of police questioning.

According to The New York Post reports, the authorities probed Sun-kyun on three consecutive occasions: October 28, November 4, and December 23, with the final session lasting 19 hours. Throughout the investigations, Sun-kyun maintained a persistent denial of drug use and submitted to many drug tests, all of which reportedly yielded negative findings. In an attempt to clear his identity, he even underwent a polygraph test.

The actor said that he had been persuaded into drug use by a bar hostess, who then tried to blackmail him, and also apologized to his family for 'causing immense disappointment.' The circumstances surrounding Sun-kyun's death have reignited conversation about the strict enforcement of drug laws in South Korea, where violations can result in severe punishments, including jail. It has also started a conversation about the role of media in portraying the actor in a negative light despite his innocence.

"Less than 30 minutes earlier, his manager had called for help after the embattled actor left his home, leaving behind what appeared to be a suicide note," reported Al Jazeera’s Eunice Kim from Seoul. "Several celebrities have been called in for questioning in recent months,” Kim said. "South Korea does have some of the strictest rules when it comes to illegal substances, with prison time upwards of 14 years even if the drug use happened outside of the country."