A number of actors, directors, and industry professionals from South Korea—among them “Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho—called for an investigation on Friday into how police and the media handled charges of drug usage involving the late actor Lee Sun–kyun.
Lee was discovered dead last month from what appeared to be a suicide. Lee gained international recognition for his role as the affluent dad in the Oscar-winning picture “Parasite.”
At a press conference in Seoul, Bong and over a dozen other prominent figures from the film, music, and entertainment industries urged authorities to investigate whether police handled Lee’s case without going against security and privacy regulations.
Even after several drug tests came back negative, they said that Lee continued to attacks on his character because of persistent leaks about the inquiry, ever since his case was initially covered by a local newspaper quoting a police official.
In addition, they criticized “sensational” reporting about Lee’s private life that used unreliable sources from various news organizations and YouTubers, labeling it “yellow journalism.”
“We demand an investigation to determine if there were any security issues with the police investigation,” Bong remarked, reading a declaration that 29 trade associations and more than 2,000 artists had signed.
The singer-songwriter Yoon Jong-shin stated, “We’re asking the press and media. Wasn’t your coverage sensational highlighting someone’s private life just because he was a pop culture artist”?
The Incheon police, who were looking into Lee, did not return calls. Its head has expressed regret for his passing but denies breaking any security regulations.
Following Lee’s passing, the public and entertainment business again criticized celebrities for being the subject of harsh and well publicized criminal investigations, which increased pressure on the celebrities and led to media coverage.
Yoon called attention to a report by KBS, a public broadcaster, that used a recording of Lee’s conversation with a bar hostess. She demanded that the report be removed, raising doubts about its intention to uphold the right to information.
An quick request for comment from KBS was not met.
Between October and December, Lee made three very public appearances before the police, the most recent one lasting 19 hours during the night.
Before his death, local news media said that he had denied knowing he was using illegal substances and claimed the bar hostess had deceived him into being a target of blackmail.
