Byun Youngjoo Remembers the Late Lee Sun Kyun: "I Will Never Forgive the Prosecution or Police"

Film director Byun Youngjoo expressed her longing for the late actor Lee Sunkyun, stating, "I still cannot forgive the prosecutors and the police."

Yonhap News

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On April 23, in a video released through the YouTube channel 'CineDrive,' Byun Youngjoo shared behind-the-scenes stories from the film 'Hwacha,' which she directed and starred Lee Sunkyun in the lead role.

Byun Youngjoo recalled that during the filming of 'Hwacha' in 2012, "We had tight schedules and budgets, so the actors had to coordinate their movements for a very tight shoot. Even on the last day, I directed a difficult scene, and Sunkyun said, 'Give me just 15 minutes. My emotions may change, but I will match the blocking.'"

She continued, "Finally, after finishing the shoot in Yongsan, I was exhausted and quietly headed home, but I got a call. They said, 'Are you leaving like that? Come back,' so I returned and found the actors sitting together at a sashimi restaurant."

Byun Youngjoo said, "Thanks to actors like Lee Sunkyun, Kim Minhee, and Jo Seongha, the film turned out so well," and described Lee Sunkyun as "an actor who, among so many, gives the director the feeling of being on their side."

She added, "Such actors are rare. There are many great actors who act well and help make a film a success, but actors who stand by the director are uncommon. Losing Sunkyun was not just losing an actor-it was, for directors who make Korean films, losing a comrade."

She also said, "Miyuki Miyabe, the author of the original novel, loved 'Hwacha' very much. She wanted to work with Lee Sunkyun again and intended to give me the scenario for her other novel, 'The Reason,' but at that time, something went wrong with Sunkyun."

Byun Youngjoo continued, "One day, the head of the publishing company called and said she wanted to visit Sunkyun's grave on Miyabe's behalf. Afterwards, she met with me and said, 'Although Lee Sunkyun is no longer with us, I want to give you 'The Reason' again, so please make it.' All of this is thanks to the friends who worked together on 'Hwacha.'"

She concluded, "That is why I honestly still cannot forgive the prosecutors and the police. I think I will never be able to forgive them for the rest of my life," and added, "This must never happen again in the future."

Meanwhile, Lee Sunkyun passed away on December 27, 2023, after taking his own life while under police investigation on suspicion of drug use.

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