Film director accused of abusing actress

By Jung Min-ho

Film director Kim Ki-duk has been accused of assaulting an actress and forcing her to take part in sex scenes.

Kim Ki-duk

According to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and his film production company, Thursday, investigators are looking into Kim on suspicion of insulting, hitting and coercing the 41-year-old actress into unscripted sex scenes, after she filed a complaint recently.

The actress, whose identity is being withheld, was cast in Moebius, a 2013 drama film, but later pulled out because of such treatment.

She did not report the case to police for a long time as she was afraid of his big influence in the film industry, the Federation of Korea Movie Workers’ Union said.

The union, which has supported the actress in dealing with the case, claimed several staffers witnessed his violence toward her.

Kim reportedly denied all the allegations.

He is known for his idiosyncratic style. Having won many international awards, he has cemented his status as one of the most famous and controversial Asian film directors.