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'Parasite' actor Lee found dead amid drug allegations: Yonhap

11 Comments
By Hyonhee Shin and Soo-hyang Choi

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11 Comments
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Sad.

While rich, famous and married, he decided to leave.

Psychological stress is high like in Japan.

In countries with 100 times more hardship, you don't hear people ending their lives like that.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Doubt this was suicide.

-15 ( +0 / -15 )

Asia in general punishes drug use crimes more harshly than murders, etc. and unlike other crimes, one can never find work again after a drug crime conviction. As there is no recovery it is no wonder some people would choose this route.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Sad that the thought of punishment at the hands of the authorities was what prompted him to take his own life. What he needed was treatment, not punishment, especially if the drugs he possessed were for his own personal use.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

police questioned him three times, with one session running 19 hours

That is outrageous. If this is his story

The actor had said he was tricked into taking drugs by a bar hostess trying to blackmail him

then whatever can the cops find to talk about for 19 hours short of forcing a confession of some kind. Was a lawyer present during this 19 hour marathon questioning? The whole thing stinks.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Doubt this was suicide.

A "conspiracy"? Here we go, folks.

Tell us more.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

One of the most unique voice actor whose acting was also very fine.

Recently Japanese remake Hard Day was based on his movie "A Hard Day" which is a far better one.

He was really good in very popular drama "Pasta", "My Mister", "Coffee Prince" and in good movies such as "Helpless", "Sleep", "Our Sunhi", "R-Point"

He needed help. His family needed help. Nobody was there for them. Perhaps even their closer friends and relatives stayed away from them, that's how Korean society is.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

It is very common for stars to dabble in drugs. It seems that like many in Japan he is a recreational drug user. I guess it got too much for him.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Everyone is innocent till found guilty. I think a case of collusion of leaks by the prosecutors office and/or police with the press media. Very sad. He was great actor especially in My Mister.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

May he rest in peace!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What happened to Lee

1) Lee was a member of an exclusive high-end hostess club that's not open to public.

2) The madam of the club was a 6 time drug use convict.

3) The madam told Lee his drinks were drugged and threatened to report him to police unless he paid $300K.

4) But the blackmailing continued even after paying up.

5) Lee went to police and confessed he was drugged and was being blackmailed.

6) Lee went through two drug testings, second one being detailed one that can detect drug use upto 1 year ago.

7) Lee tested negative on both tests. It appeared that the madam tricked Lee into thinking he was drugged.

8) The madam did test positive.

9) Although Lee tested negative for all drugs, the police refused to clear Lee claiming Lee could have done new type of undetectable drugs.

10) G-Dragon, also investigated for connection to same madam, was cleared however.

11) Frustrated, Lee decided to end his life to escape from police.

12) The public is angry at the police and Han Dong Hoon, President Yoon's right hand man and heir apparent in the next presidential election, because it was Han who declared war against drugs and no mercy prosecution policy while he was the chief prosecutor and later justice minister.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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