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Lee Sun-kyun (1975-2023) was a South Korean actor. He is well known for his roles in the K-drama & films, Coffee Prince (2007), Pasta (2010), Golden Time (2012), My Mister (2018), and Parasite (2019). Lee Sun-kyun was found dead in a car at a park in Seoul, South Korea, in December 2023.
Wiki/Biography
Lee Sun-kyun was born on Sunday, 2 March 1975 (age 48 years; at the time of death) in Seoul, South Korea. His zodiac sign is Pisces. He did BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Acting from Korea National University of Arts, Seoul, South Korea.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 11″
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour: Black
Family & Ethnicity
He was in a relationship with the actress Jeon Hye-jin for 7 years, and the couple got married on 23 May 2009.
Wedding Picture of Lee Sun-kyun and Jeon Hye-jin
They were later blessed with two sons, Lee Rook (25 November 2009), and Lee Roon (born on 9 August 2011).
Lee Sun-kyun’s Sons
Career
Agency: Hodu & U Entertainment
Theatre & K-dramas
Lee Sun-kyun made his debut as ‘Brad’ in the 2001 musical theatre “The Rocky Horror Show” in 2001. He starred in many popular musical theatres including, Grease (2003), Indangsu Love Song (2005), and Love, Love, Love (2013). He made his television debut with the 2002 MBC’s K-drama “Lovers,” in a very small supporting role. He played supporting roles in many popular K-dramas and television theatres like, Thousand Years of Love (2003), Chakhan Dangshin Loveholic (2003), Semi-transparent (2004), Innocent Love (2005), Loveholic (2005), Taereung National Village (2005), and Fugitive Lee Doo-yong (2006). Lee Sun-kyun made his breakthrough with the 2007 medical K-drama “White Tower.”
He went on to star in famous K-drama such as The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (2007), Triple (2009), Pasta (2010), Golden Time (2012), Miss Korea (2013), Listen to Love (2016), My Mister (2018), and Prosecutor Civil War (2019).
Films
He made his film debut with the 2000 short “Psycho Drama” as Park Dong-woo. He has acted in several shorts such as, Goodbye Day (2003), Survival Meeting Game (2003), Hitchhiking (2004), Curry and Rice Story (2005), and Lost in the Mountains (2009). He made his feature film debut with “Make It Big” (2002) as ‘Woo Jung-chul’ and appeared as a supporting character in many feature film such as, A Perfect Match (2002), Scent of Love (2003), Survival Meeting Game (2003), My Mother, the Mermaid (2004), Love, So Divine (2004), Our Town (2007), and Night and Day (2008). He made his breakthrough in the film industry with the 2008 film “Sa-kwa.”
He acted in many other films such as Paju (2009), Oki’s Movie (2010), Helpless (2012), Nobody’s Daughter Haewon (2012), A Hard Day (2014), The King’s Case Note (2017), Take Point (2018), and Parasite (2019).
Awards & Honours
- Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for “Parasite” in 2020
Lee Sun-kyun at Screen Actors Guild Award
- Korean Popular Culture & Arts Awards- Prime Minister’s Commendation in 2018
Lee Sun-kyun honoured with Prime Minister’s Commendation
- APAN Star Awards- Daesang for “My Mister” in 2018
- The Seoul Awards for Best Actor (K-drama) for “My Mister” in 2018
- Blue Dragon Film Awards for Best Actor for the film “A Hard Day” in 2014
- Buil Film Awards for Best Actor for the film “A Hard Day” in 2014
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival- Award for the Best Actor for the film “Paju” in 2010
- KBS Drama Award for Best Actor in a One-Act/Drama Special for the K-drama “Our Slightly Risque Relationship” in 2010
Baeksang Arts Awards
- Best New Actor (TV) for the K-drama “White Tower” in 2007
- Best Actor (Film) for the film “A Hard Day” in 2015
- Best Actor (TV) for the K-drama “My Mister” in 2019
MBC Drama Awards
- Golden Acting Award (Actor in a Miniseries) for the K-drama “White Tower” in 2007
- Excellence Award (actor) for the K-drama “Coffee Prince” in 2007
- Top Excellence Award for the K-drama “Pasta” in 2010
- Best Couple Award with Gong Hyo-jin for the K-drama “Pasta” in 2010
- Top Excellence Award (Actor in a Miniseries for the K-drama) “Golden Time” in 2012
- Excellence Award (Actor in a Miniseries) for the K-drama “Miss Korea” in 2014
Signature
Death
Lee Sun-kyun was found dead in a car parked at Waryong Park in Seoul, South Korea, on 27 December 2023. According to his family members, he had left the home early on the same day with a suicide note.
Favourite Things
Facts/Trivia
- Lee Sun-kyun enjoyed listening to music and watching films.
- When Lee was in high school, he was very passionate about basketball. He used to play basketball for almost twelve hours a day.
- In his high school days, he also liked music and advertising and wanted to work as a producer in radio shows.
- Lee Sun-kyun was a part of the lightening unit of the drama club of his college. During a drama, one of his seniors ran away, and Sun-kyun was chosen as his senior’s replacement. While acting on stage, Sun-kyun felt a connection with the stage and decided to become an actor. He decided to drop out of his college and enrolled at the Korea National University of Arts in Seoul to pursue BFA in Acting.
- His signature role was an ‘impatient perfectionist’ type role. This trait became noticeable after Lee’s hit serial “Pasta” (2010). According to netizens, it would be weird to see him not showing frustration.
- He was appointed as the brand ambassador for the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in 2007.
- He played the role of ‘Park Dong-ik’ in the film “Parasite” (2019), which won the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and four awards at the 2020 Academy Awards in the categories, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film.
Lee Sun-kyun in a Scene from Parasite (2019)