'Never forgive': Director blames authorities for leaks in 'Parasite' actor Lee Sun-kyun probe

From left, actors Lee Sun-kyun, Kim Min-hee, Cho Sung-ha and director Byun Young-joo pose during a press event for the film “Helpless” at CGV Apgujeong in Gangnam, Seoul, on Feb. 7, 2012. Korea Times file

Byun Young-joo, the director of the film "Helpless," expressed grief over the late actor Lee Sun-kyun, who died in 2023, saying she would “never forgive the prosecution and police for the rest of my life.”

Her remarks appeared to refer to the handling of the drug investigation into Lee, during which details of the allegations and contents of private phone calls were leaked to the media. Byun voiced anger over the exposure while Lee was still under investigation.

In an interview released Thursday on YouTube, Byun recalled her time with Lee when they filmed "Helpless" in 2012. She said the production’s low budget and tight schedule often forced her to make unreasonable demands on the actors, but Lee always gave everything he could.

Byun said, “There are many great actors who act brilliantly and help elevate a film, but actors who truly stand by the director are rare,” she said.

“Losing Sun-kyun was not simply the loss of one actor,” she added. “For directors making Korean films, I think it was the loss of a comrade.”

Director Bong Joon-ho, second from left in the front row, and other cultural figures release a statement at the Korea Press Center in Jung District, Seoul, on Jan. 12, 2024, calling for a fact-finding investigation into the leak of details from the drug probe involving the late actor Lee Sun-kyun. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-bin

During the interview, Byun also revealed that she had secured the film adaptation rights to “Reason,” another novel by Miyabe Miyuki, the Japanese author whose novel inspired “Helpless.”

Byun attributed the opportunity to Lee, saying that Miyabe was so pleased with “Helpless” that she granted the adaptation rights in the hope that Byun would make another film with Lee.

“Ms. Miyabe asked me to make another film with him, but now Sun-kyun is no longer with us,” Byun said.

As she recounted the anecdote, Byun grew emotional and criticized investigative authorities for allegedly leaking details of the drug probe involving Lee to the media.

“Honestly, I cannot forgive the prosecution, nor the police,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “I may live the rest of my life unable to forgive them.”

Lee Sun-kyun came under investigation in October 2023 on suspicion of drug use and died by suicide on Dec. 27 the same year. During the police investigation, specific allegations against him were leaked to the public and the contents of his private phone calls were also reported by media outlets.

A police officer from the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency and an investigator from the Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office were later indicted on charges that included leaking official secrets, accused of providing details of the investigation to the media.

This article from the Hankookilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.