Parasite actor Lee Sun-kyun is facing drug allegations, which has put a standstill on his upcoming project and left his co-star Yoo Jae-myung’s on-screen roles on pause.
Actor Lee made a name for himself in Hollywood after starring in the Oscar-winning movie Parasite. But the actor was already a household name in South Korea. But he has recently been involved in drug allegations, alongside others, that are currently under police investigation.
As many K-content fans are aware, allegations against a celebrity can be disastrous for their careers. The allegations have already pushed Lee to be dropped from one of his upcoming projects. But the allegations have also taken on toll on his co-star, actor Yoo Jae-myung.
Yoo recently starred in Netflix’s Song of Bandits and is known for his role in Itaewon Class. The actor is at a crossroads as Lee’s predicament has also halted his K-drama projects.
Yoo Jae-myung was set to star in No Way Out with Lee Sun-kyun
The future of the thriller K-drama No Way Out is unclear as actor Lee was removed with the cast and crew having already begun filming.
Due to the drug allegations, Lee is no longer starring in No Way Out K-drama. He and the cast had already started filming three episodes, but will likely be revamped or cancelled. Because of the circumstances, his co-star Yoo is also in jeopardy as the fate of the K-drama is uncertain. It’s likely the K-drama will have to reshoot the scenes already completed and look for a new lead actor to replace Lee.
No Way Out focuses on a heinous killer who’s released after 13 years and a public bounty is put on his head to have him murdered. Yoo was to star as Kim Kook-ho, the criminal, with Lee in the role of Baek Joong-sik. The character is assigned to protect Kook-ho from the public.
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Lee’s allegations also put the movie Land of Happiness on indefinite hiatus. The movie focused on a lawyer having trouble with a case that shook the nation. Both Lee and Yoo were cast in the movie. With the Land of Happiness already having finished filming, the release date is unknown.
No Way Out isn’t the only K-drama the actor was cast in
Amid Lee’s drug allegations and removal from No Way Out, actor Yoo’s other K-drama roles were also postponed due to his co-star’s allegations.
According to a K-drama account on X (Twitter), Yoo also faces issues with his roles in Firemen and Season of You and Me. Fireman was an upcoming 2023 K-drama about a veteran fireman and a rookie who butt heads after the death of a teammate. Actor Yoo was to star in the K-drama as the head of the fire brigade.
#LeeSunKyun's marijuana scandal jeopardizes his co-star #YooJaeMyung's works. #YooJaeMyung stars with #LeeSunKyun in:1. #NoWayOut (3 episodes filmed, potential revamp or cancellation).2. #TheLandOfHappiness (completed filming, indefinite premiere delay). pic.twitter.com/41nh6Vx65Z
— K-Drama Handle (@kdramahandle) October 22, 2023
But Firemen was postponed after lead actor Kwak Do-won was accused of drunk driving. According to KoreaJoongAng Daily, the actor was found asleep behind the wheel while stopped in the middle of the road. A breathalyzer test confirmed his blood alcohol level.
Song Joong-ki stepped away from the lead role in the Korean movie Season of You and Me. Extracurricular actor Kim Dong-hee was cast in his place. In 2022, the actor was hit with school bullying allegations. He later made a formal apology, but the status of the movie is unknown. Season of You and Me currently has no set release date. Actor Yoo was also meant to star in the biopic in a supporting role as a manager.
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