Late actor Lee Sun-kyun blackmailers sentenced to over 3 years imprisonment a year after the actor's demise

On December 20, 2024, Chosun Ilbo reported that the individuals involved in blackmailing the late actor, Lee Sun-kyun, were sentenced to three years and 6 months of imprisonment.

The blackmail case, which surfaced in late 2023, involved a female entertainment agency manager who extorted 300 million KRW (approximately $207,813) from the actor by threatening to expose his alleged drug use and personal secrets.

One blackmailer, identified as the nightclub manager, allegedly framed the actor of drug use as leverage to extort a large sum of money. This person, referred to as "A" in court proceedings, reportedly collaborated with another individual to intimidate the actor. On December 20, 2024, Chosun Ilbo reported that the late actor's case saw a verdict.

The court sentenced the female nightclub manager "A" to 3 years and 6 months in prison while the former actress "B" (another accomplice) was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months. The The Incheon District Court’s Criminal Division 4 stated:

“Mr. A set the amount he would demand from the victim at 300 million won. It is difficult to see that Mr. B ordered the extortion or gaslighted him as Mr. A claims. The victim, who was a famous actor, must have suffered fear and extreme mental distress due to Mr. A’s crime. Mr. B also directly threatened the victim, adding to her mental distress.”

The court added:

“The victim took his own life after the drug investigation was made public. Even if there were other causes involved, it cannot be denied that the defendants’ extortion was the cause of the victim’s death.”

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Lee Sun-kyun’s tragic death, legal proceedings, and more

Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in Parasite, became embroiled in controversy in October 2023 after being implicated in a drug abuse investigation.In October 2023 Yonhap News reported that he was interrogated multiple times by South Korean authorities for suspected use of narcotics, including marijuana and other substances.

However, the Parasite actor consistently denied the allegations, and preliminary drug tests reportedly came back negative. Despite his denials, the police authorities pressed on him. Later, it was revealed in early 2024 that he was blackmailed by two females.

According to Korea JoongAng Daily, Lee Sun-kyun had asked the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency for a polygraph test to establish his innocence in relation to his drug case before he committed himself.

However, the police turned down his plea and called him in for three interrogation sessions. The Korea Times reported on December 24, that he was interrogated for 19 hours during his third interrogation. The Parasite actor committed suicide on December 27, 2023, four days later.

On December 27, 2023, Lee Sun-kyun was found dead in his car in central Seoul in what authorities ruled as an apparent s*icide. His body was found in early morning inside of his car which was parked at a park. The discovery came amidst ongoing media scrutiny and public backlash due to his involvement in the drug investigation and blackmail case.

The legal proceedings for those involved in the blackmail scheme began on December 28, 2023, after reports of the late actor's attempt to file a lawsuit against two female blackmailers before his death became public.

The nightclub manager, reportedly named Kim Nam-hee, extorted and blackmailed Lee Sun-kyun with the help of another female called Ms. Park. In August 2024, Korea JoongAng Daily reported that Kim Nam-hee, Ms. Park, and a doctor who supplied them with drugs to reportedly use against Lee Sun-kyun were all sent for prosecution.

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Lee Sun-kyun is survived by a wife and two sons. He was married to South Korean actress, Jeon Hye-jin, who is well-known for her dramas like Search: WWW (2019) and her pre-filmed movie, Mission: Cross, released in 2024.