The BBC has received confirmation from authorities that Lee Sun-kyun, a renowned South Korean actor famous for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, has been discovered deceased.

The 48-year-old actor was found unconscious in a car in one of Seoul's main parks on Wednesday. While it remains unclear whether Lee took his own life, the police received a report indicating that he had left home after leaving a note.

Lee had been under investigation for alleged drug use since October. In Parasite, he portrayed the patriarch of the affluent Park family, infiltrated by members of a poor family posing as unrelated individuals, in the biting social satire that won four Oscars, including best picture.

Reports from Yonhap news agency suggested that Lee was suspected of using drugs such as marijuana and ketamine with a hostess at a bar in Seoul.

Although he admitted to taking what she gave him, he claimed ignorance about the substances being illicit drugs. The hostess reportedly informed the police that he had used drugs at her home on multiple occasions, an accusation he denied.

Lee had previously requested, through his lawyer, to undergo a lie detector test, and his drug tests had either returned negative or inconclusive results.

Expressing regret that Lee passed away during the ongoing investigations, the police emphasized that the inquiry had been conducted with his consent, as reported by News1 Korea.

Lee had undergone three rounds of questioning, with one session lasting a lengthy 19 hours on the previous Saturday, according to Yonhap.

Lee's agency, HODU&U Entertainment, said in a statement: "There is no way to contain the sorrow and despair. We respectfully ask that you refrain from spreading false facts based on speculation... so that [Lee's] final journey will not be unfair."

News of his death sparked strong reactions online.

"I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for him. Rest in peace," read a comment on one of the news reports.

"Aren't celebrities human? People can make mistakes in their lives. It's so sad," another commenter said.

The actor, who was married to actress Jeon Hye-jin and had two young sons with her, had a career spanning more than two decades.

He starred as the lead in dozens of films and TV shows, becoming a household name through the 2010s.

He rose to international fame with Parasite, as it became the first non-English language film to win the Best Picture Oscar.

In South Korea, celebrities are held to high standards of propriety.

Lee had a squeaky-clean, family-man image prior to his alleged drug use, but reports that emerged from the investigation caused considerable damage to his reputation. He was dropped from No Way Out, a mystery TV series that began shooting in October.

According to reports, some businesses were seen taking down posters and advertisements featuring Lee from their stores.

Drug offences, including those involving usage of marijuana, are considered serious crimes in South Korea. Consumption of marijuana carries prison sentences of up to five years.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed a crackdown on drugs. This year, the country's authorities expanded its drug crimes department and the national police chief promised "a total war" on drug crimes.

Lee is not the only South Korean celebrity who had been investigated for drug use recently. Earlier this month, K-pop star G-Dragon was cleared of drug allegations after weeks of investigations.

Actor Yoo Ah-in is currently standing trial for drug use.

Too bad