Tragedy in Seoul. Parasite star Seon-gyun Lee found dead amidst drug probe

Lee's wife alerted the authorities. As per her statement to the authorities, her husband "left home and also left a message appearing to be a goodbye note", as was disclosed by The Korea Herald.

The 48-year-old actor was the subject of a drug use investigation. During questioning, he insisted on his innocence, stating that he had obtained illicit substances unintentionally, under the mistaken belief that they were sleep aids. It was reported that he received these from an employee at an exclusive bar in Seoul. The police are currently treating the case as a potential suicide.

In South Korea, stringent anti-drug laws are in effect. Possession of illegal substances can lead to a jail sentence of up to six months. Repeat offenders and drug dealers can face harsher punishment, resulting in up to 14 years of imprisonment.

Seon-gyun Lee was highly acclaimed for his performances in films such as "Helpless", the romantic comedy "All About My Wife", the dark crime comedy "A Hard Day", and the Oscar-winning film "Parasite".