Bong Joon Ho, Korean Film Figures Call for Investigation of Police and Media Over ‘Parasite’ Actor Lee Sun-kyun’s Death

Soo-mee Park
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Clad in black suits as a mark of respect for the late Parasite actor Lee Sun-kyun, Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho and other prominent Korean film figures gathered for a solemn press conference in central Seoul on Friday, where they sternly called for an investigation into the police handling of Lee’s case that would tragically end in the actor’s death by apparent suicide.

“Throughout the two months, from the initial leak of internal information regarding the deceased’s investigation to the time of his death, we urge a thorough investigation by the authorities to ascertain whether there were any lapses in police investigative security,” Bong said, reading from an official statement prepared by 29 prominent arts and culture groups, including the Busan International Film Festival and the Korea Entertainment Producer’s Association. “We request a thorough investigation to determine if there were any unlawful media responses during the investigation.”

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The event, which was held at the country’s Press Center in central Seoul, was filled with hundreds of reporters and camera crews Friday. Prominent figures in the Korean entertainment industry, including the actor Song Kang-ho and Kim Dong-ho, the former chairman of Busan International Film Festival, also lent their support for the petition.

Lee, best known for his leading role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite and also for Apple TV+’s Dr. Brain, had been under police investigation for months over suspected drug use since October. His urine tests, which were examined by the National Forensic Service, turned out to be negative. Nevertheless, Korean police persistently pursued the investigation and denied the actor’s request to conduct a private summons. On Dec. 27, Lee was found dead in his car parked on the side of a road, a day after he returned from 19 hours of grueling police questioning in December.

It was later revealed that at Lee’s funeral, his colleagues had discussed the need to officially question the police’s handling of the issue as well as the media’s reporting of irrelevant personal details related to the suspect.

A few days after the actor’s death, Lee’s agency Hodu & U Entertainment released a statement saying that the company was taking legal action against media outlets that had contributed to spreading false information regarding the actor’s case, the stress of which ultimately led to his death.

After his death, Lee’s supporters and colleagues raised questions about whether there had been any unauthorized disclosures by the police and media organizations, in particular, and whether police officials secretly leaked information about the investigation to reporters.

The artists collective that gathered Friday raised a complaint against the reckless reporting of media organizations including KBS, a major broadcasting company, which leaked a private phone conversation between Lee and a female escort at a bar he had frequented.

“Can KBS guarantee on their name as a public broadcasting, that their coverage of the private conversations of the deceased unrelated to the allegations, was solely for the sake of the public’s right to know?” the group said. “We urge all media outlets, including KBS, to promptly remove any content that does not align with the purpose of responsible reporting.”

Kim Eui-seong, a veteran actor who also participated in the conference, claimed that Lee had undergone “character assassination” during the investigation.

“In recognizing the passing of our fellow artist, we find it imperative to uphold basic decency by addressing the unjust character assassination that tarnished his reputation over the past two months,” he said.

The group said it would submit the statement and a petition signed by 2,000 artists to the National Assembly after the press conference.

“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,” the statement read. “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.”

Bong and the other participants left the press conference without taking any questions from reporters.

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