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On Friday, October 4, Kim Won-seok, the director of the South Korean drama My Mister, participated in a tribute for Lee Sun-kyun at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). The tribute, titled “Remembering the Late Actor Lee Sun-kyun,” took place at Lotte Cinema Centum City in Haeundae, Busan, with actors Park Ho-san and Song Sae-byeok also in attendance.
During the ceremony, the director addressed the false accusations surrounding Lee Sun-kyun before his death. The actor, who was under investigation for alleged drug use since October 2023, reportedly took his own life on December 27. Given that this death came as a shock to many netizens, the director addressed the unfairness of the same.
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The director said:
"Even if they committed a crime, I believe they can be given an opportunity. In this case, it wasn’t even a crime, and there was no evidence of any crime. It was just an uncomfortable situation. I can’t help but feel that my suggestion might have been a heavy burden on Lee Sun-kyun’s heart, and that breaks my heart."
My Mister's director Kim Won-seok discusses false accusations against Lee Sun-kyun
During the tribute at 2024 BIFF, a special talk session was held to discuss My Mister, the 2018 series featuring Lee Sun-kyun and IU. Director Kim Won-seok recalled a particular quote from the series about cutting people off from one's life. He shared:
"There was a line that hit me in a new way: ‘Why are you so eager to cut people off?’ to which Park Dong-hoon (played by Lee Sun-kyun) replied, “That’s just how companies work. Do you think they cut people based on who can’t do their job? No, they cut people who are an inconvenience.""
He connected this to how actors, directors, and other media-related personalities are often cut off from the masses' lives. Kim Won-seok added that these media personalities are often attacked, criticized, and abandoned by the public.
"Personally, I believe that the media outlets, police, and prosecutors responsible for these absurd articles are only empowered because the public tolerates them. If the public hadn’t accepted those articles, they wouldn’t have been published. I think the public knows very well how powerful they are in this age of media," he mentioned.
He concluded his statement by expressing an apology to the audience. The director expressed that he only wishes for the public to be more conscious and careful about their actions that might affect the media personalities. He also particularly called out those who leak false information and baseless investigation reports.
"I just hope we can all be more careful. The ultimate power lies with you, the public. Without your support and encouragement, actors wouldn’t exist. Those who leaked false information and baseless investigation reports must be punished," he continued.
Meanwhile, the actor was posthumously awarded the Korean Film Achievement Award at the 29th Busan International Film Festival for his works in several Korean movies.
