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South Korean media outlet TV Chosun published excerpts of the late actor Lee Sun-kyun's suicide letter the day after the news of his death broke, labeling it as an "Exclusive." However, on January 4, 2024, TV Chosun abruptly removed all stories regarding Lee Sun-kyun's goodbye letter from all platforms.
Last month, on December 27, 2023, portions of Lee Sun Gyun's letter were made public by TV Chosun's "News 9." The news organization disclosed that he had left notes for his spouse and agency agent.
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to drug addiction and suicide.
Lee Sun-kyun's agency asserts taking legal action against media outlets for spreading false information
Actor Lee Sun-kyun was found dead in his parked vehicle on the morning of December 27, 2023, amidst an ongoing drug abuse investigation. The Seongbuk police station in Seoul, which had discovered his body, had confirmed later that the actor had taken his own life.
However, the investigation later revealed the late actor's innocence as netizens criticized the Korean police's bungled probe. The South Korean actor was 48.
The primary problem with this broadcast was that the South Korean media outlet, TV Chosun, released the content of the late Lee Sun-kyun's farewell letter without the family's permission, even though they had asked for it to remain confidential.
The late actor's agency, HODU&U Entertainment, said they have lately learned that rumors and inaccurate data about its performers are circulating. They also said that they have started gathering pertinent material and are pursuing legal proceedings at the same time.
The agency said (as reported by Allkpop):
"We have recently become aware of the spreading of rumors and misinformation concerning our actors. We have initiated the process of collecting relevant data while concurrently taking legal action."
Following the actor's funeral, HODU&U Entertainment, his agency, filed a lawsuit to halt the spread of untrue reports and incorrect information about Lee Sun-kyun.
Moreover, HODU&U Entertainment disclosed on January 2, 2024, that the organization had lodged an official complaint against a journalist who, on the evening of December 27, 2023, circulated fraudulent material purporting it to be true. In addition, they insisted that the journalist provide a real apology and take a proactive role in the resulting legal actions.
As reported by Netizens Buzz, HODU&U Entertainment declared:
“We hoped that the truth would be revealed through a fair police investigation until the end, but since we can no longer do so, we would like to correct the facts one by one by ourselves. We ask the reporter for a sincere apology and that they diligently participate in the legal proceedings that will follow.”
South Korean media outlet TV Chosun has been the target of interpretations of the HODU&U Entertainment declaration made by other media sources, including MBC and Dispatch.
As reported by Allkpop, the infamous media site Dispatch had reported on January 3, 2024, revealing the contents of Lee Sun-kyun's suicide note, despite the warnings from the late actor's agency and pleas from his bereaved family.
Dispatch wrote in its report:
"On the 27th of December, a cable channel reported on the contents related to the farewell letter. It is reported that there are issues with the content of that article."
On top of that, another South Korean media outlet, MBC, reported (as translated by Allkpop):
"There are interpretations that the latest statement (from HODU&U) points to the coverage of the contents related to the late Lee Sun Kyun's farewell letter by one media outlet."
Consequently, TV Chosun took down the story and the video on January 4, 2024, in response to the agency's announcement on Lee Sun-kyun. Furthermore, on the aforementioned South Korean media's website, every relevant article leads to an inaccessible page.
Meanwhile, two women who blackmailed and extorted over 350 million KRW ($2,66,211.32 approx.) from the late actor were charged and sent to prosecution as of January 5, 2024. The accused, a former actor, Park Soo-jeong, and an entertainment agency's former manager, Kim Nam-hee, are charged with blackmailing Lee Sun-kyun for ransom and driving him to take his own life.
Both women have previous records of criminal charges and are currently being prosecuted under the Narcotics Control Act.
As per the 'Suicide Reporting Guidelines 3.0' developed by the Korean Journalists Association, the Central Suicide Prevention Centre, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, media representatives are advised not to publish information on the subject matter of parting letters.
By avoiding publishing issues pertaining to suicide letters as much as practicable, the rules stress the significance of safeguarding the privacy of the departed and their families.
Disclaimer: Get assistance right away if you think that you or someone you know is in danger of self-harm or suicide by getting in touch with organizations that specialize in crisis intervention and suicide prevention both domestically (India +91-9152987821) and internationally.
