Lee Sun-Kyun, the famous actor in the South Korean film Parasite, was found dead inside his car on Wednesday, so according to reports from South Korean authorities, an investigation will be opened to clarify the causes of his death.
After the 48-year-old actor’s death, there was talk that he may have taken his own life, as his family revealed that a suicide note was found after he left his home. However, it appears that Lee Sun-kyun had been under investigation by the police, even before he disappeared and was found dead, for allegedly using marijuana and other drugs, so the investigation may have been related to his death.
Lee Sun-Kyun’s Death May Be Linked to a Police Investigation
According to local media, police began searching for him after Lee Sun-kyun’s family found the suicide note, and he disappeared from his home; after a thorough search, he was found lifeless inside his car.
The apparent cause of death was carbon monoxide inhalation after a charcoal briquette was found in the passenger seat; Lee had been under investigation for some time for alleged marijuana and other drug use. But the actor, who had already been questioned three times, claimed he was being extorted and that the use was unwittingly at the hands of a hostess at an upscale bar in Seoul.
Not only did his statements match whenever he was questioned, but he also tested negative for drug use in all the tests he was subjected to, even reportedly asking to take a polygraph test to prove his innocence.
South Korea and the Stigma Against Drug Users
But that’s not the end of the story. South Korea has tough laws against illicit drugs, even for citizens who use them abroad. Drug-related offenses, including marijuana, are considered “felonies” with prison sentences of up to five years.
Those who use illicit drugs often face consequences beyond legal sanctions: social stigma and damage to their careers; even Lee Sun-kyun had already been the victim of cancellation, as he had been removed from a TV series he was working on, and several companies withdrew posters and advertisements with his image.
All of this, was only because it was known about the investigation he was undergoing, which was under his consent, and which never conclusively found him guilty of drug use, as the tests he underwent were always negative for narcotics.
Given this, there are several comments on social networks, that indicate that it is worse to be a drug user than an abuser, in addition to the fact that Korean society itself stigmatizes those who are accused of drug use, even before they are found guilty; they lynch them socially and those who are famous, as in the case of Lee Sun-kyun, have their careers ended, so that they decide to end their lives before sinking socially and professionally.
This story was written in Spanish by Lizbeth García in Cultura Colectiva News