Film director dies in apparent suicide

By Han Sang-hee

Staff reporter

Film director Kwak Ji-kyoon passed away in an apparent suicide Tuesday evening, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The 56-year-old director was discovered at his home in Daejeon in a room full of carbon monoxide.

He left a suicide note that read ``I'm troubled because I have no work.''

The news agency quoted an acquaintance of Kwak, saying that he was suffering from depression over the past 10 years and he was having a hard time dealing with the thought of not being able to make movies.

The director made his debut in 1986 with the film ``Winter Wanderer'' and became famous for directing melodramatic films such as ``Portrait of the Days of Youth'' (1990) and ``Plum Blossom'' (2000).

Famous for making trendy and hip films, he once worked with some of the top actors and actresses in the business, including Choi Min-soo, Kang Soo-yeon and Lee Mi-suk.

He also won numerous awards throughout his career, including the New Director Award in 1986 and Best Film at the Daejong Film Festival in 1991.

In 2007, he made a comeback with the film ``Fly High,'' his first major work in six years.