Oscar winning 'Parasite' star found dead

South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, star of Oscar-winning movie ‘Parasite’, was found dead in Seoul on Wednesday amid a police investigation into alleged drug use.

The 48-year-old was found unconscious in his car at a central park in the capital on Wednesday morning. Police had received a call from his manager earlier in the day, reporting that the actor had left home after writing a “memo akin to a suicide note,” according to Yonhap news. The manager had visited the star’s home after being unable to contact him.

Lee had faced three rounds of police questioning over alleged drug use, amid a wider government crackdown on narcotics. The latest session lasted 19 hours on Saturday and Sunday.

The star was suspected of taking illicit substances with a hostess from a high-end Seoul bar. The actor insisted he had been tricked and wasn’t aware of what he was taking, according to Yonhap. In October, Lee filed complaints of blackmail against two people, including the hostess, who was arrested last month. The actor was examined for narcotics in his system and tested negative.

Breaking South Korea’s drug laws can lead to six months in prison, or a maximum of 14 years for repeat offenders and dealers. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed a crackdown on narcotics, while the nation’s drug crimes department has been expanded.

The actor’s agency, HODU&U Entertainment, released a statement offering its condolences to the bereaved. “Please respectfully refrain from spreading false information via speculation or malicious statements so that the final path of the deceased will not be unfair,” the agency wrote.