A group of Korean artists demand clarity on Lee Sun-kyun investigation

A group of Korean artists, including film director Bong Joon-ho, has called for an investigation into handling allegations against the late actor Lee Sun-kyun, questioning the legal appropriateness of how the police disclosed the allegations to the media.

At a Friday press conference held by the newly formed Association of Solidarity of Cultural Artists, a number of influential figures in Korea’s entertainment industry called for an investigation in connection with the death of actor Lee Sun-kyun. Director Bong Joon-ho, actor Kim Eui-seong, singer Yoon Jong-shin, and director Lee Won-tae read the statement during the press conference. Actor Choi Deok-moon and director Jang Hang-joon also attended the press conference.

“We are asking the police to investigate whether there was any lapse in the security of the investigation from the moment the details of the deceased’s investigation were first exposed over two months,” Bong said. He also urged an investigation into the process of deciding to carry out the three police appearances publicly, whether the police investigative process was legal or not. “Did the media reporting on the actor during the internal investigation process serve the purpose of fulfilling the public's right to know for the sake of public interest?” Whether the sensationalist reporting emphasizing the personal life of an individual solely due to their status as a public figure in the entertainment industry, was justifiable,” actor Kim Eui-seong said. “Any undue requests made by the police to place the deceased in the limelight due to their status as a public figure in the entertainment industry.”

Singer-songwriter Yoon Jong-shin specifically called out the public broadcaster KBS, urging it to remove articles related to the deceased, and raised concerns about whether these articles align with responsible reporting for the public’s right to know, especially as a state-run broadcaster. “How long must we stay silent in the face of video creators who churn out numerous videos without fact-checking, solely for attention?” Yoon said.

The Association of Solidarity of Cultural Artists plans to deliver its written statement to the National Assembly, the police, and KBS. The statement urges a thorough examination of the existing laws safeguarding human rights during investigations and criminal case disclosure, emphasizing the need to initiate essential legislative revisions. The association comprises 29 existing organizations and guilds within the entertainment industry, including the Producers Guild of Korea, the Independent Movie Association of Korea, the Korean Film Producers Association, the Directors Guild of Korea, the Korea Broadcasting Actors Union, and the Korea Management Federation. The statement was signed by more than 2,000 artists in the entertainment industry, including Kim Dong-ho, former chairman of the Busan International Film Festival, and actor Song Kang-ho. Lee Sun-kyun, who had been under police investigation on suspicion of drug use, took his own life on December 27, 2023.


Ji-Sun Choi aurinko@donga.com