South Korea may be a dream destination for many Singaporeans, but beyond the positive image the country has created, one thing is certain. It is extremely strict when it comes to illegal drug use.
In recent weeks, you might have heard the news about Korean actor Lee Sun Kyun, known for his role in the globally acclaimed movie Parasite, who took his own life after being accused of engaging in illegal drug activities. His death was no doubt a devastating loss for the Korean entertainment industry, and many fans were also upset about the way his case was handled by the police.
As we bid farewell to the talented actor, here are 12 facts to know about him.
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After dating for 7 years, Lee Sun Kyun married actress Jeon Hye Jin in May 2009. Given the scale of their popularity and connections, their wedding at the AW Convention Centre Ballroom was attended by popular celebrities such as Yoon Eun Hye, Jung Il Woo, Lee Min Jung, and Yoo Ji Tae.
They were together for 14 years before his passing in December 2023.
Lee Sun Kyun became a father of two when Jeon Hye Jin gave birth to their sons in 2009 and 2011. Despite his busy schedule, Lee Sun Kyun made an effort to spend quality family time, and the family of four was once spotted at a baseball game.
According to a Korean source, it was reported that their oldest son Lee Ryuk was already studying in the U.S, but right after Lee Sun Kyun faced drug allegations, Jeon Hye Jin immediately sent her youngest son Lee Run overseas to the U.S to study as well.
Parasite is no doubt Lee Sun Kyun’s most renowned work. Thanks to the success of the movie, Lee Sun Kyun reached a new peak in his acting career, and his fame soared to an international level.
In addition to director Bong Joon Ho, Lee Sun Kyun and his fellow cast members also received the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture during the 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards. They travelled to the U.S. to receive this prestigious award.
Before Lee Sun Kyun stepped foot into the acting industry, he enrolled at Won Kwang University as an English major. Initially, he didn’t want to attend university because his grades weren’t the best, but he still did so because of the persuasion around him.
In the end, he decided to study and apply to other schools he was genuinely interested in while attending Won Kwang University. A year later, he dropped out after achieving his goal of getting into the Korea National University of Arts.
Fun fact: Lee Sun Kyun was part of the first batch of drama majors to graduate from Korea National University of Arts.
After dropping out of Won Kwang University, he entered Korea National University of Arts to pursue his interest in acting. Interestingly, his batchmates included popular Korean actors Jang Dong Gun and Oh Man Seok.
Ask any long-time K-drama fans, and they would probably agree that Coffee Prince is one of the OG K-dramas that kickstarted the Hallyu wave. In the drama, Lee Sun Kyun plays the character of Choi Han Sung, a record producer, who develops feelings for Go Eun Chan, played by Yoon Eun Hye.
Thanks to the popularity of the show, Coffee Prince became a stepping stone for Lee Sun Kyun, allowing him to gain fame and secure more acting roles. He also starred in other popular K-dramas like Pasta and My Mister.
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Many people only knew Lee Sun Kyun as a drama and movie actor, but surprise surprise, he was also a musical actor. Although he didn’t have many credits in the musical industry, some of his works included the Korean versions of Rocky Horror Show and Grease.
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Lee Sun Kyun mostly kept a low profile on his personal life, but it was revealed that he was an avid baseball fan. Since he previously shared that he was a fan of the Korean baseball team KIA Tigers, many fans found him adorable when he was spotted watching a baseball game with actor Ahn Jae Hong.
The two were seen cheering for the team, and Lee Sun Kyun even expressed his love for the players by wearing a KIA Tigers jersey.
Admit it ‒ many of us no longer remember phone numbers thanks to the evolution of cellphones. So it is extremely impressive for Lee Sun Kyun to memorise more than 2,000 phone numbers when he served in the Communications Corp during his military service.
He mentioned in an interview that because of his military duties, he had to remember the numbers of commands and control rooms. Even after he finished serving the nation, he could still recall them. Wow.
October 2023 was a dark period for Lee Sun Kyun. The Korean police released a statement saying they were investigating an actor in his 40s for alleged drug use at a high-end bar in Seoul, and soon after, the actor was revealed to be Lee Sun Kyun.
According to various sources, Lee Sun Kyun allegedly provided a large sum of money, amounting to KRW300 million won (~S$330,000), to a drug supplier and engaged in marijuana use. Due to the allegations against him, the actor stepped down from a drama that he was filming, and stated that he would cooperate with the investigations.
Following the investigations, Lee Sun Kyun also claimed that he was extorted KRW300 million won (~S$330,000) and blackmailed by two women.
You can only imagine how much pressure Lee Sun Kyun was under that he decided to take his own life on 27 December 2023. According to police reports, his wife alerted the police after discovering a note by Lee Sun Kyun on the morning of the incident ‒ he had already gone missing the night before.
The police soon found the actor unconscious in his car in a park, and later pronounced him dead. They suspected that Lee Sun Kyun died due to carbon monoxide poisoning from burning charcoal briquettes.
His death shook not only his family and friends, but also his fans from all over the world.
Ever since Lee Sun Kyun was booked by the police in October 2023, he went through three rounds of investigations, with one lasting for over 19 hours.
Netizens who had kept up with the development of his case were displeased about the way the police treated him. For instance, a total of eight individuals were booked for the same case, but only Lee Sun Kyun’s name constantly made headlines.
His death also caused many to blame the harsh cancel culture in Korea, which had driven many high-profile Koreans to take their lives, such as YouTuber Choi Sung Bong.
While it is hard to say if Korean society will improve for the better soon, we hope Lee Sun Kyun’s death will remind others to think twice before they speak or comment.
Lee Sun Kyun’s passing is a sad reminder of the problems and dangers of cancel culture. At the same time, these facts also show that Lee Sun Kyun made an impact on the Korean acting industry, and his absence will be deeply felt.
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