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'Parasite' director slams police, S. Korean media over star's death

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="South Korean director Bong Joon-ho (C) speaks with members of Cultural and Art Organization during a press conference demanding an investigation into the case for the death of the late actor Lee Sun-kyun, in Seoul, South Korea. Jeon Heon-kyun, EPA-EFE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/entertainment/01/12/01122024-south-korean-director-bong-joon-ho_epa.jpg"/><figcaption>South Korean director Bong Joon-ho (C) speaks with members of Cultural and Art Organization during a press conference demanding an investigation into the case for the death of the late actor Lee Sun-kyun, in Seoul, South Korea. <em>Jeon Heon-kyun, EPA-EFE</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>SEOUL -- Oscar-winning &quot;Parasite&quot; filmmaker Bong Joon-ho and other South Korean stars called for an investigation on Friday into police and media conduct in the days leading to actor Lee Sun-kyun&#x27;s death.</p><p>Lee, best known globally for his starring role in Bong&#x27;s 2019 film &quot;Parasite,&quot; was found dead in a car in Seoul last month, after a two-month police investigation over suspected drug use.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2928620" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Following his death, police were accused of leaking confidential details of their probe, triggering frenzied mainstream media coverage and a flurry of damaging social media content on YouTube and beyond.</p><p>&quot;We urge a thorough investigation by the authorities to ascertain whether there were any lapses in police investigative security,&quot; Bong said Friday at a press conference attended by South Korean cineastes and industry figures.</p><p>He added officials should also examine &quot;whether any unauthorized disclosures&quot; originated from police officers involved in the Lee drugs investigation improperly communicating with the media.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1d86Su5JQ6w?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Bong was reading a statement, signed by around 30 organizations in South Korea&#x27;s booming entertainment industry, including film festivals, actors&#x27; unions, and the local screenwriters&#x27; guild.</p><p>Actor Kim Eui-sung, who was also at the press event Friday, said Lee&#x27;s death was due to a &quot;character assassination.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I hope that such tragedies will never be repeated in the investigation of pop culture artists,&quot; he said.</p><p>Once celebrated for his wholesome image, Lee&#x27;s reputation suffered a significant blow when news of the police drugs probe became public in October.</p><p>He was quickly dropped from television, film and commercial projects, incurring damages media reports estimated at up to 10 billion won ($7.8 million).</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/27/23/parasite-actor-lee-sun-kyun-found-dead">&#x27;Parasite&#x27; actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead</a></li></ul><div><strong>&#x27;Responsible reporting&#x27; </strong></div><p>Bong and others called for strengthened legislation to better protect artists and entertainers, and urged the media to do better in future.</p><p>They specifically singled out South Korea&#x27;s national broadcaster KBS for their coverage of the case. In November, KBS released audio recordings purportedly of Lee&#x27;s private phone conversations.</p><p>&quot;Can KBS promise... their coverage on the private conversations of the deceased, unrelated to the allegations, was solely for the sake of the public&#x27;s right to know?&quot; the joint statement said.</p><p>&quot;We urge all media outlets, including KBS, to promptly remove any content that does not align with the purpose of responsible reporting,&quot; it added.</p><p>Lee had tested negative for drugs twice, during police investigations and in a lab test in November, according to the Yonhap news agency.</p><p>He had also sat for three lengthy sessions of police questioning, with the last one starting December 23 lasting for 19 hours. Lee&#x27;s body was found December 27.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/entertainment/12/29/23/s-korea-police-defends-drug-probe-of-parasite-actor">S. Korea police defends drug probe of &#x27;Parasite&#x27; actor; film director pays respects at wake</a></li></ul><p>Incheon Metropolitan Police chief Kim Hui-jung said last month that the &quot;entire investigation process&quot; was carried out &quot;in accordance with legal procedures&quot; and that no leaks had occurred.</p><p>South Korea has extremely strict drug laws, and public opinion is typically supportive of police probes into illegal use and critical of people found to be breaking the law.</p><p>But since Lee&#x27;s death, criticism of police and media treatment of the late star has erupted online.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>Related video:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rtkQBs_AECg?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Oscar-winning 'Parasite' filmmaker Bong Joon-ho and other South Korean stars called for an investigation on Friday into police and media conduct in the days leading to actor Lee Sun-kyun's death.