Oscar-winning director urges police to reflect on role in 'Parasite' actor’s death

Filmmaker Bong Joon-ho speaks during a press conference at the Press Center, in Jung District, central Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Prominent members of Korea's entertainment industry, including Oscar-winning filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, singer-songwriter Yoon Jong-shin, and film producer Jang Won-seok, gathered on Friday to demand action and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of actor Lee Sun-kyun last month.

A funeral photo of late actor Lee Sun-kyun / Yonhap

“A single statement asserting that the authorities conducted the investigation according to legal procedures does not absolve them of all responsibility,” Bong said during a press conference at the Press Center, in Jung District, central Seoul.

“The only path to rectify any wrongful investigative practices and prevent additional victims is through a thorough investigation into the process,” he added.

Some 29 guilds and organizations, including the Busan International Film Festival, Directors Guild of Korea, and Korea Drama Production Association, along with individual artists, joined hands to form a “Cultural and Artistic Figures” solidarity union.

The union released a proclamation on the same day, urging law enforcement officials to look into any misconduct or improper procedures in Lee’s drug abuse probe. The group called on the news media to stop what it described as invasive coverage and the publication of unsubstantiated information, and also urged the government to reassess the current laws to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.

A group of people from the entertainment industry held a press conference to call for actions on the circumstances that allegedly led to the death of actor Lee Sun-kyun, last month. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

“Throughout the two-month period, from the initial leak of internal information about the invstigation to the time of (the actor's) death, we urge a thorough investigation by the authorities to ascertain whether there were any lapses in police procedures” to respect the privacy of individuals, Bong said.

“Particular attention should be given to scrutinizing the circumstances and motives behind the exclusive coverage by KBS on Nov. 24, which included numerous details from the precise analysis results by the National Forensic Service, and a thorough examination is necessary to ascertain the circumstances and purpose of disclosing such information,” he added.

Lee, who garnered global fame with the film “Parasite,” was found dead on Dec. 27 in an apparent suicide while he was being investigated for alleged drug use. He was suspected of using illegal drugs on several occasions, including marijuana, which he denied.

The news of the allegations against the A-lister made headlines in October, leading many media outlets to cover the process of the investigations and his visits to police for questioning.

As the investigation continued, KBS exclusively reported an audio recording apparently of a conversation between the actor and a hostess at a high-end bar who was accused of taking drugs with Lee.

The director also pointed out what he described as abusive media reports on the late actor by YouTubers and the tabloids, asking them to take down speculative articles.

“Can it be certain that the coverage of the deceased’s preliminary investigations were genuinely in the interest of the public’s right to know? Was the biased reporting, emphasizing the individual’s personal life solely because one is a public figure in the entertainment industry, justifiable?,” he said.

“We urge all media outlets, including KBS, to promptly remove any content that does not align with the purpose of responsible reporting.”