'Parasite' director, showbiz leaders blame police, media for Lee Sun-kyun's death

Social Affairs

Published: 12 Jan. 2024, 12:42 Updated: 12 Jan. 2024, 15:08

'Parasite' director, showbiz leaders blame police, media for Lee Sun-kyun's death

Director Bong Joon-ho, center, attends the press conference hosted by the Cultural and Artistic Professionals Conference (CAPC) to read a statement on the late "Parasite" (2019) actor Lee Sun-kyun's death at the Korea Press Center in Jung District, central Seoul, on Friday. [NEWS1]

"Parasite" (2019) director Bong Joon-ho blamed the police and press for the death of the film's late actor Lee Sun-kyun in a press conference on Friday, along with other entertainment industry leaders at the conference.

They added more than 2,000 entertainment industry professionals will work together to enact a "Lee Sun-kyun Act" aimed at protecting the human rights of artists undergoing criminal investigations.

Entertainment industry leaders, including directors Bong, Lee Won-tae, Jang Hang-jun, actors Kim Eui-sung, Choi Duk-moon and singer Yoon Jong-shin held a press conference to deliver a formal statement on Lee's death at the Korea Press Center in Jung District, central Seoul, on Friday.

Issued by the Cultural and Artistic Professionals Conference (CAPC,) a new association comprising 29 existing organizations and guilds within the entertainment industry, the "Statement on the Death of Actor Lee Sun-kyun, by Cultural and Artistic Figures" called for a thorough investigation into the propriety and legality of Lee's drug probe by the police, the deletion of sensationalist articles by news media on Lee and the implementation of clearer legal standards for similar cases.

Director Bong Joon-ho reads a printed statement titled "Statement on the Death of Actor Lee Sun-kyun, by Cultural and Artistic Figures," at the Korea Press Center in Jung District, central Seoul, on Friday. [YONHAP]

"We urge a thorough investigation by the authorities to ascertain whether there were any lapses in police investigative security throughout the two-month period from the initial leak of internal information regarding the deceased's investigation to the time of his death," said Bong, reading from a printed statement during the press conference.

Bong stressed that an investigation should take place to determine whether the public relations officer in charge of Lee's case had made any unlawful media responses or leaks to reporters. The director also pinpointed the reports by public broadcaster KBS, criticizing its release of the phone records of the late actor.

"Can it truly be asserted that the coverage of the deceased's case only at the stage of its preliminary investigations was conducted with a genuine public interest in safeguarding the public's right to know?" asked Yoon, reading the statement. The statement also addressed the issue of the "abuses of yellow journalism" and YouTubers who violated the late actor's family's privacy during the funeral.

"Even if the investigative procedures of the authorities were deemed legal, the government and the National Assembly must not remain silent on this tragic incident," said director Lee, taking the baton from Yoon. "It is crucial to examine if there are any problems with the current laws protecting human rights in criminal cases and information disclosure and initiate necessary legislative revisions."

Center row from left, actor Kim Eui-sung, director Bong Joon-ho, singer Yoon Jong-shin and director Lee Won-tae attend the press conference on late actor Lee Sun-kyun's death at the Korea Press Center in Jung District, central Seoul, on Friday. [YONHAP]

"We will exert our best efforts until satisfactory results are achieved regarding the above demands and questions," Choi said. "The CAPC and more than 2,000 entertainment industry professionals will work together to ultimately enact a 'Lee Sun-kyun law' to prevent the repetition of this tragedy."

Lee had been under police investigation since October last year on suspicion of drug use, including marijuana and psychotropic drugs, and was found dead in an apparent suicide in a car parked in Seongbuk District, central Seoul, on Dec. 27.

He debuted as an actor in 2001 and was known globally for starring in the Oscar-winning 2019 film "Parasite," directed by Bong.

To find out more about Lee Sun-kyun, visit Celeb Confirmed

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling, contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]