A group of South Korean artists, including film director Bong Joon-ho, has called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death last month of prolific actor Lee Sun-kyun.
Lee, who played a lead role in Bong’s Oscar-winning film Parasite, died last month in an apparent suicide, at the age of 48.
The actor was under investigation at the time for alleged drug use, and had reportedly been questioned by police for 19 hours the weekend before his death.
At a press conference held on Friday in Seoul by the newly formed Association of Solidarity of Cultural Artists, a number of influential figures in South Korea’s entertainment industry called for an investigation into the way the police and media had handled his death in order to prevent further such tragedies.
The unprecedented display of unity and criticism is a rarity in South Korea’s entertainment scene, in which celebrities often find themselves at the mercy of unforgiving public scrutiny. Even minor missteps risk destroying careers with little room for recovery or comeback.
A significant number of South Korean celebrities, in particular pop stars and actors, have killed themselves in recent years, including Moonbin, Haesoo and Jonghyun.
“We urge a thorough investigation by the authorities to ascertain whether there were any lapses in the police investigative process,” Bong said, demanding an inquiry into potential leaks to the press during the investigation into Lee that saw relentless primetime media exposure without protective measures.
Lee said he had been tricked into taking the drugs and last Friday, the Incheon Metropolitan police Agency referred two women to the prosecution for further investigation and potential indictment on charges of blackmailing for 350m won.
On Friday, singer-songwriter Yoon Jong-shin asked if media coverage of the late actor was conducted with a genuine public interest in safeguarding the public’s right to know
“Was the biased reporting, emphasising the personal life of an individual solely due to their status as a public figure in the entertainment industry, justifiable. Were there any undue requests made to the police to place the deceased in the photoline due to their status as a public figure in the entertainment industry,” he asked.
Lee had requested that his final police interrogation be closed to the press, but the request was denied. As he arrived at the police station in Incheon for his questioning, he was paraded in front of the media, which published pieces about his suspected drug use that contained details unrelated to the inquiry.
After his death, some outlets leaked details of his alleged suicide note, despite opposition from Lee’s family.
The group of artists urged all media outlets, including national broadcaster KBS, to delete articles that they claimed did not constitute responsible reporting and urged the government and the National Assembly to examine current laws protecting the “human rights of artists”.
Actors Choi Deok-moon and Kim Eui-sung, and representatives from cultural and arts organisations, including the influential Busan international film festival and the Directors Guild of Korea, were also among the group who spoke on Friday.
After the administration of president Yoon Suk Yeol began its crackdown on drugs following the 2022 crowd crush in Itaewon – which was blamed on alleged drug use – a seemingly high number of South Korean celebrities have been in the spotlight for alleged illegal drug use.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
