Oscar Star Removed From Project Due To Police Probe

Lee Sun-Kyun is best known for his role as Dong Ik in the hit 2019 film Parasite. The Bong Joon Ho-directed film made waves upon release as an extremely poignant tale of wealth disparity, greed, and familial love, taking home a host of Oscar Awards in an unprecedented sweep. In No Way Out, Lee Sun-Kyun was initially slated to portray a detective, investigating the contract killing of a recently released convict who served more than a decade in prison.

No Way Out had only just begun production last week when the news was first announced that the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency had begun a formal investigation into drug use in a series of local bars. The investigation maligns eight suspects, including Lee Sun-Kyun, with unconfirmed speculation that the 48-year-old screen performer had taken drugs with the child of a prolific industrial executive from the region. The actor’s attorney has released an official statement declaring that Sun-Kyun does not know the industrial heir, and has not engaged in recreational drug use with them.

Of course, Lee Sun-Kyun’s attorney also stated that the star will happily cooperate in a police investigation in order to clear his name, meaning fans could get more definitive answers regarding the probe in the near future. Lee’s agency also released a press statement for fans, apologizing for the interruption in the star’s work, as well as any distress that may have been caused by the police investigation.

Despite details regarding the probe being in short supply, the studio responsible for No Way Out refused to take the risk with their project, opting to remove Lee Sun-Kyun from their shooting schedule.

Despite the interruption, a press release from the studio claims that No Way Out will continue production on its normal schedule, while actively looking for a replacement to take on Lee Sun-Kyun’s role. While fans will surely be upset to hear of Lee Sun-Kyun’s absence in the upcoming project, the leading man currently has a host of films awaiting theatrical release, meaning the investigation has not yet put a massive dent in the actor’s big screen presence.

Titles starring Lee Sun-Kyun set to arrive in theaters soon include Land of Heaven, which sees Sun-Kyun portraying a Korean soldier caught in the throes of a significant modern military event, and Project Silence, which focusses on a number of survivors trapped on a collapsing bridge.

For now, all fans can do regarding the investigation into Lee Sun-Kyun is wait and silently offer their support. Though the star maintains his innocence in this matter, there has been a significant spike in drug crimes across Korea in recent months, prompting heavy police presence and a stern, no-nonsense policy by narcotics investigators.