Entertainment industry put on halt as it takes time to mourn Lee Sun-kyun's death

Social Affairs

Published: 28 Dec. 2023, 13:01

Entertainment industry put on halt as it takes time to mourn Lee Sun-kyun's death

Actor Lee Sun-kyun's funeral at the Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Korea's entertainment industry has been put on a pause following the death of "Parasite" actor Lee Sun-kyun as fellow actors and celebrities take time to mourn.

Lee, who has been going through police questioning on suspicions of drug use, was found dead on Wednesday. He was 48.

Actor Jeon Hye-jin, Lee's wife, greeted the mourners coming to the funeral along with the late actor's relatives.

The mourners have been expressing their condolences to Jeon and Jeon's family and paid tribute to the actor, many shedding tears as they bid farewell, since Wednesday night.

Actor Jo Jung-suk was seen shedding tears as he left Lee's funeral Wednesday, according to media reports.

Actor Cho Jin-woong, who was close to Lee and worked together for the 2014 film "A Hard Day," fell weak while grieving, the media said.

Cho is to fill Lee's shoes in the upcoming series "No Way Out," as Lee dropped out of the show after his drug use allegations emerged.

Actors Lee Sung-min, Sol Kyung-gu, Ha Jung-woo, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Jung-jae and many more were seen at the funeral.

On social media, Lee's colleagues, including "Pachinko" (2017) author Min Jin Lee, actor Claudia Kim and singer BoA, have been mourning Lee's death, sharing pictures they took with Lee or messages of tribute.

"I miss [Lee] who gave us unlimited support and energy and who took care of us more than anyone else," BoA, who worked with Lee on the JTBC series "Listen to Love" (2016), said in an Instagram post.

"My forever captain. Love to 'my mister,'" she added, referring to Lee's previous work "My Mister" (2018).

Lee's death led production companies and stars to cancel or delay their events.

Actor Kim Sung-kyu, who recently starred in the film "Noryang: The Sea of Death," canceled his interview with media outlets on Wednesday afternoon, saying the cancelation is "due to sudden news in the entertainment industry."

A Thursday stage greeting for the movie "12.12: The Day" was also canceled following the news, which the film's stars, such as Jung Woo-sung and Lee Sung-min, were to attend to meet with fans.

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191. The Seoul Foreign Resident Center offers English-language counseling. Contact 02-2229-4900 to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]