LEE Sun-kyun’s wife could not hold back her tears at the Parasite star’s funeral as cops face fury over the actor’s drug probe.
Fellow actor Jeon Hye-jin sobbed heavily as her late husband’s procession was led by their eldest boy – who carried a portrait of his father.
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Lee’s other son returned from his studies abroad to attend the ceremony on Friday morning.
The private funeral was held at the Seoul National University Hospital, and was also attended by many of the actor’s colleagues, including Gong Hyo-jin, Ryu Seung-ryong and Lee Sung-min.
Jeon Hye-jin was later seen approaching her sons and hugging before the body of the late dad and husband was taken to a crematorium.
The South Korean actor, 48, was being investigated on suspicion of using marijuana and other illegal drugs over the course of this year.
The Parasite star was reportedly dropped from several major TV projects when the drug use allegations were made public in October.
Fury is now growing as cops were accused of leaking confidential investigation details to the press, fuelling malicious coverage and the spread of unverified content online.
Lee was last pictured on Saturday, arriving at a police station in Incheon for a grilling that supposedly lasted 19 hours right before his death.
“There was no need to name the suspect in the investigation”, Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korea studies at the University of Oslo, told AFP.
“In South Korea – to a much larger degree than in any European country with higher degrees of tolerance for the use of psychotropic stuffs – being named as a suspect in a drug investigation is a punishment per se, by social ostracism.”
Yu Hyun-jae, a communications professor at Sogang University, told a local broadcaster that Lee’s case can be considered a “social murder”, with the media, police, and the public sharing responsibility.
But Incheon Metropolitan Police chief Kim Hui-jung defended the “entire investigation process”, saying it was conducted “in compliance with legal procedures”.
“There was no leakage (to media) of investigation details as raised by some,” he told reporters on Thursday.
Lee, who starred in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, was found dead inside a car in Seoul this week.
It has now been reported Sun-kyun may have died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The actor had earlier left a memo akin to a suicide note at his home in Cheongdam-dong, his manager reportedly told police.
Sun-kyun’s manager went to the property after failing to get a hold of him and promptly alerted police to the note and to the fact his car was missing, South Korean news agency Yonhap News reports.
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Police reportedly believe Sun-kyun took his own life.
According to local media, an investigation was launched to determine the exact circumstances, including the time, of Sun-kyun’s death but officials said no autopsy will be conducted as per his family’s wishes.
The star reportedly said sorry to his family and agency members in the note found in his home.
Parasite director Bong Joon-ho and co-stars Park So-dam and Park Myung-hoon visited the funeral home on Thursday.
Grieving fans stuck handwritten notes to the front of the hospital.
One wrote: “Thank you for being Lee Sun-kyun.
“The works you have created with your efforts and sincerity have saved countless people.”
“We’re sorry we couldn’t do anything for you when you were having a hard time,” the note read.
A series of entertainment industry events in South Korea were also cancelled so that people could pay condolences to the late actor.
You’re not alone
SUICIDE is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Leading Causes of Death Report from 2018.
There were “more than two and half times as many suicides” in the US than there were homicides, according to the report.
For people ages 10 and 34, suicide was the “second leading cause of death” and the fourth for individuals ages 35 to 54.
Suicide is a vital health concern in the U.S. It affects all genders, races and ages.
This is why The-Sun.com launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The campaign calls on readers to discuss their mental health issues with their family, friends and health professionals. We can all pitch in to help out others who may be suffering and help save lives.
If you are struggling to cope, you are not alone. There are many free and confidential programs in the US aimed to help those who are struggling with their mental health.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health problems, these organizations are here to provide support:
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