Director Byun Young-joo — known for films like Ardor, Flying Boys, and Helpless — opened up with a heartbreaking confession about the late Lee Sun-kyun, expressing raw longing and regret.
On the YouTube channel CineDrive, Byun appeared in a newly released video and looked back on her film Helpless, sharing her special bond with Lee Sun-kyun. "There are countless actors, but it’s rare to find one who makes a director feel like they’re truly on your side," she said. She added, "Losing Sun-kyun wasn’t just losing an actor. For directors making Korean films, it felt like losing a comrade," revealing profound grief.
Byun also spoke about a story connected to Miyabe Miyuki, the original author of Helpless. "The author really loved the Korean version of Helpless. After watching adaptations made in various countries, she would go back and rewatch the Korean one," Byun explained. "That’s how special the film was to her."
She further revealed that Lee Sun-kyun’s name even came up regarding the rights to Miyabe Miyuki’s novel Iyu. "I once secured the rights but had to return them when the project didn’t move forward. Later, the author’s side tried to give me the rights again, asking me to remake it with Lee Sun-kyun — but around that time, what happened to Sun-kyun happened," she recalled. "The head of the publishing house personally visited Lee Sun-kyun’s grave, placed a Japanese DVD there, paid respects, and then came to see me. They said, 'Lee Sun-kyun is gone, but we’ll give you the rights again. Please make it.'"
Toward the end, Byun didn’t hide her bitterness. "Honestly, I can’t forgive the prosecutors. I still can’t forgive the police. I’ll probably live the rest of my life that way," she said.
Meanwhile, Lee Sun-kyun passed away on December 27, 2023, at age 48, while under investigation over alleged drug use.