Celebrity
South Korean Actor Lee Sun-Kyun Of Oscar-Winning Film ‘Parasite’ Is Found Dead
South Korea’s SEOUL — Lee Sun-kyun, a prominent South Korean actor best known for his performance in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” was discovered dead in a car in Seoul on Wednesday, according to authorities, following weeks of an intensive police probe into his alleged drug use.
Police and rescue personnel initially thought Sun-Kyun was unconscious in the car parked on a street in northern Seoul. According to the Seongbuk police station in Seoul, emergency personnel later verified his death.
Lee, 48, had been reported missing, and police had been searching for him.
They refused to disclose any other information, including if Sun-Kyun committed suicide. However, according to South Korean media reports, including Yonhap, Lee’s family reported to police earlier Wednesday that he left home after leaving a message like a suicide note.
Sun-Kyun starred in “Parasite,” which won best picture and three other Oscars in 2020. The class satire was the first non-English-language film to win best picture in the Academy Awards’ 92-year history and the first South Korean film to win an Oscar. Lee portrayed the head of an affluent family in the film.
In 2020, the film’s cast, which included Lee, earned a Screen Actors Guild award for best motion picture ensemble cast. He was also nominated for best actor in the sci-fi thriller “Dr. Brain” at the International Emmy Awards last year.
Even before “Parasite,” Lee was a well-known actor in South Korea. He rose to fame with his role in the famous TV drama series “Coffee Prince (2007),” and he earned mass popularity with a string of hit TV dramas like “Behind The White Tower (2007),” “Pasta (2010),” and “My Mister (2018).”
Lee was the subject of a police investigation investigating charges that he took illegal narcotics at the home of a bartender. According to Yonhap, Lee claimed he was duped into taking the narcotics and had no idea what he was doing. However, the probe sparked widespread tabloid coverage as well as unverified web allegations concerning not only his suspected drug use but also his personal life. Lee sued two persons, including the hostess, claiming they blackmailed him.
South Korean Actor Lee Sun-Kyun Of Oscar-Winning Film ‘Parasite’ Is Found Dead
When he was first summoned for questioning in late October at a police station in Incheon, a city near Seoul, he bowed multiple times and apologized to his fans and family. “I’m sorry for my family members who are going through too much pain right now.” “I sincerely apologize to everyone once more,” he stated.
Incheon police announced Wednesday that they would close their investigation into Lee’s drug use charges but would continue to look into the two people Lee had sued.
South Korea has tough anti-drug legislation, although drug-related offences have increased in recent years. The National Police Agency announced last week that it had detained approximately 17,150 persons this year for alleged illegal drug manufacturing, smuggling, sales, and usage, a record number for a single year.
South Korean Actor Lee Sun-Kyun Of Oscar-Winning Film ‘Parasite’ Is Found Dead
South Korea has had the highest suicide rate among wealthy countries for a long time. It has also seen several celebrity suicides, including K-pop singers, famous politicians, and corporate executives. According to experts, many of the celebrity suicides were caused by vicious and cruel internet comments and severe cyberbullying.
“Lee faced some allegations, but they have yet to be formally confirmed.” However, the media has been relentless in its coverage of Sun-Kyun’s personal life… “I believe there is something wrong,” Kang Youn-gon, a media communication professor at Seoul’s Chung-Ang University, said.
Lee leaves behind his actress wife, Jeon Hye-jin, and two boys.
SOURCE – (AP)
Will Smith brought flames and faith to the BET Awards stage on Sunday.
Smith returns to his musical origins with the release of his new single, “You Can Make It.” In the gospel-inspired tune, Smith, accompanied by Fridayy and the Sunday Service Choir, raps about perseverance.
Will Smith | CNN Image
Will Smith Debuts New Song In Fiery Performance At The BET Awards
“The darker the hell you gotta endure / The brighter the heaven you get to enjoy / The harder the fall, the higher you soar,” Smith rapped as spectacular fire engulfed the stage. His words, a testament to his resilience, echoed through the audience, inspiring them. “God opens a window when the devil closes the door / Believe me, they tried to bleed Will Smith / In the rearview, I see adversity was the gift / To lift me higher gifts requires faith.”
Smith’s performance at the BET Awards follows his surprising Coachella cameo in April when he appeared during J Balvin’s set for a boisterous rendition of his track “Men In Black,” which was first released in conjunction with his smash 1997 film of the same name.
The “Independence Day” star’s new song is his first solo material in nearly five years, a fact that has his fans buzzing with excitement. It marks his first significant release since 2005’s “Lost and Found” album, making it a highly anticipated event in the music world.
Smith has recently collaborated with other musicians, such as Bad Bunny and Marc Anthony. In 2017, he released the EDM single “Get Lit” and the track “Light ‘Em Up” with Sean Paul, which are on the soundtrack for his upcoming film, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Will-Smith-performance-bet-awards-063024-1f4fb97d35d44d03b89bd4d0acb09fdd.jpg "Will Smith Debuts New Song In Fiery Performance At The BET Awards")
Will Smith | EW Image
Will Smith Debuts New Song In Fiery Performance At The BET Awards
Smith is a four-time Grammy winner for rap performance, both solo and as part of a duo/group. His first win came in 1988 for the song “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” which he performed with DJ Jazzy Jeff as the Fresh Prince.
The pair also won for their 1992 single “Summertime.” Smith won back-to-back Grammys for rap performance in 1998 with “Men In Black,” followed by “Gettin’ Jiggy with It” the following year.
SOURCE – CNN
The mother of Pat Tillman, a US military hero, has criticized ESPN’s choice to honor Prince Harry (The Duke of Sussex) with the award named after her son. Mary Tillman said ESPN network never consulted on Prince Harry getting the Pat Tillman Award.
The award honors the late NFL safety-turned-Army Ranger who volunteered following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Tillman was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004, the news stunned his fellow Americans.
“I am shocked as to why ESPN would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” Mary told the Daily Mail Newspaper. “There are recipients that are far more fitting than Prince Harry,” she said. “There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.”
The shocked mother also said that Prince Harry is already popular and has won many awards, so ESPN should have picked someone else who has never been in the spotlight.
Many unsung heroes have won the Pat Tillman Award. Last year’s winner was the Buffalo Bills training staff, who revived Damar Hamlin after he had a cardiac attack in the middle of a game.
Mary’s condemnation was echoed by ESPN analysts Pat McAfee, who accused his own network on Friday of “trying to piss people off” for picking Prince Harry, the New York Post reports.
“It’s going to Prince Harry,” McAfee said on his talk show, “who I don’t even think is a Prince anymore, right? He said don’t call me that? See, why does the ESPYs do this s–t?
“This is like actually the most embarrassing thing I’ve seen in my entire life,” he added.
In picking The Duke of Sussex and others to receive honors during the upcoming ESPY Awards (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly), Kate Jackson, VP, Production at ESPN, touted the recipients as those who have changed the world.
Jackson said, “These honorees have used their platforms to change the world and make it more inclusive for marginalized and suffering communities. They have shown incredible resilience, positivity, and perseverance, and we can’t wait to celebrate them at the 2024 ESPYs.”
Others have praised Harry for starting the Invictus Games, even though his life as a royal has caused a lot of trouble. Harry served in the British military for 10 years and flew helicopters on two tours in Afghanistan.
The Games, which started in 2014, are multi-sport competitions in the style of the Paralympics for soldiers and service members who have been hurt or sick.
When Prince Harry found out he was going to get the Pat Tillman Award, he said, “This one is for our whole service community.”
This award was made in 2014 and is given to someone who has worked in ways that are similar to Tillman’s.
Tillman was a safety for the Arizona Cardinals and served in Iraq and then Afghanistan before being killed by friendly fire in 2004. For his service, the hero was given the Silver Star and the Purple Heart after his death.
Source: Daily Mail, NY Post
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Popularity Hopes Dashed
Entertainment
BET Awards Return Sunday With Performances From Lauryn Hill, Childish Gambino, Will Smith And More
The BET Awards return on Sunday night. The evening will be performance-packed and begin with a blazing set by Megan Thee Stallion, two days after the release of her third studio album.
Taraji P. Henson, an Oscar-nominated performer, will host the performance for the third time at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre.
BET Awards | AP News Image
BET Awards Return Sunday With Performances From Lauryn Hill, Childish Gambino, Will Smith And More
Lauryn Hill and her son YG Marley, Childish Gambino, Ice Spice, Tyla, Chlöe, Coco Jones, Keke Palmer, Marsha Ambrosius, Summer Walker, GloRilla, Latto, Muni Long, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, and Victoria Monét will also perform. Will Smith will perform a new song, but no specifics have been disclosed. The Grammy and Oscar winner is still recovering from the iconic Oscars slap two years ago, with the successful release of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” bolstering his recovery. Tanner Adell, a country musician, will also perform on the BET Amplified stage.
The BET Awards will be broadcast live on BET starting at 8 p.m. Eastern from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. They will also air simultaneously on Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Pop, TV Land, Nickelodeon at Nite, and VH1.
Drake leads the nominations, exactly as he did last year. These include an album of the year nomination for his eighth studio album, “For All the Dogs.”
BET Awards | AP News Image
BET Awards Return Sunday With Performances From Lauryn Hill, Childish Gambino, Will Smith And More
One of the accolades he’s up for is the music video for “First Person Shooter,” his collaboration with J. Cole, which may have sparked his recent feud with rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Nicki Minaj follows with six, including album of the year for her much-anticipated “Pink Friday 2” release. Two of her nominations were for her song “Barbie World,” which appeared on the hit “Barbie” soundtrack, which she sang with Ice Spice.
J. Cole, Sexyy Red, SZA, and best new artist Grammy winner Victoria Monét all have five nominations, while 21 Savage, Beyoncé, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla, and Usher each have four.
Usher will receive the BET Awards’ Lifetime Achievement award, previously granted to Busta Rhymes last year and Sean “Diddy” Combs the year before.
The R&B sensation is an eight-time Grammy winner who recently completed a two-year residency at the Park MGM, “Usher: My Way”. In February, he released his first solo album in eight years, and in August, he will embark on a 24-city U.S. tour dubbed “Past Present Future.”
BET Awards | AP News Image
BET Awards Return Sunday With Performances From Lauryn Hill, Childish Gambino, Will Smith And More
Usher’s 2024 Super Bowl halftime show received critical acclaim and featured guest appearances from Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon, and Ludacris. His album “Confessions” sold over 10 million units in the United States, making it one of the best-selling music projects ever. It produced No. 1 songs like “Yeah!” with Ludacris and Lil Jon, “Burn,” and “Confessions Part II.”
Presenters include Andra Day, Colman Domingo, DC Young Fly, Devale Ellis, Jay Ellis, Jessica Betts, Ms. Pat, Niecy Nash-Betts, and Saucy Santana.
SOURCE – (AP)___
-
News3 weeks agoFIA Warns of Rising WhatsApp Hacks Targeting Women
-
Sports4 weeks agoNHL To Broadcast Stanley Cup Final Games In American Sign Language, A 1st For A Major Sports League
-
World4 weeks agoNASA Sends First Manned Starliner Spacecraft to International Space Station
-
Sports4 weeks agoEdmonton Oilers Goaltender Stuart Skinner’s Play Is The Biggest Uncertainty In The Stanley Cup Final
-
News4 weeks agoPolice Pepper Spray Antisemitic Protesters at McGill University, 15 Arrested
-
Celebrity4 weeks agoDiddy Sells Off His Stake In Revolt, The Media Company He Founded In 2013
