Artists are Pushing for Justice in the Wake of Lee Sun Kyun’s Passing

Director Bong Joon Ho of the Oscar-winning “Parasite” is part of the recently formed Solidarity Association of Artists and Culture, consisting of 29 members

As reported by Korea Herald, the Solidarity Association of Artists and Culture, established on January 9, includes members from the Busan Film Festival and the Korean Producers Association. In their joint statement, they’re not just mourning Lee Sun Kyun but urging both the government and media to take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A press conference is scheduled for January 12 in Seoul, featuring the industry’s key figures like Bong Joon Ho, musician Yoon Jong Shin, director Lee Won Tae, actor Choi Deok Moon, and Korean Producers Association President Choi Jeong Hwa.

Expressing their shared concern, the association emphasized the need for an investigation to uncover the truth surrounding Lee Sun Kyun’s death.

Beyond that, they’ve called on media outlets to retract inappropriate and inaccurate articles. Simultaneously, they’re urging authorities to revise existing laws, with the intention of safeguarding artists’ human rights.

Lee Sun Kyun’s death on December 27, 2023, after being discovered unconscious in a car near Waryong Park, Jongno-gu, Seoul, sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry.

Prior to this, he had undergone three rounds of drug use questioning, the last one stretching a staggering 19 hours. Throughout, Lee Sun Kyun maintained his innocence, insisting on evidence through lie detector tests.

The actor had been under investigation since October for suspected drug use at the residence of a hostess working at a high-end entertainment venue in Gangnam, Seoul. In the wake of his death, public outrage intensified, pointing fingers at authorities for mishandling the investigation.

South Korean media, too, faced criticism for prematurely associating Lee Sun Kyun with guilt, despite all drug tests yielding negative results.

On January 3, Lee Sun Kyun’s company announced their collection of evidence, gearing up to sue outlets that had disseminated inaccurate information about the actor over the past three months.

In a statement, HODU&U Entertainment expressed their discontent with the malicious news circulating around Lee Sun Kyun during this period. Initially hopeful for a fair police investigation to uncover the truth, their trust waned, culminating in the shocking tragedy that has shaken the entertainment industry.

Source: k14