On January 4, TV Chosun unexpectedly removed all reports of the late actor Lee Sun Gyun’s farewell letter from their platforms. The network had initially revealed parts of the letter as an exclusive on their ‘News 9’ program. The sudden deletion has not been explained by TV Chosun.
TV Chosun previously reported on December 27 that Lee Sun Gyun left a farewell memo for his wife and his agency representative. This revelation was made despite the bereaved family’s request for privacy regarding the letter’s contents.
TV Chosun deletes exclusive report on Lee Sun Gyun’s farewell letter.
In response, HODU&U Entertainment, representing Lee Sun Gyun, issued a statement condemning the dissemination of private information without consent. The agency highlighted its ongoing legal actions against the reporter responsible for spreading false information. They demanded a sincere apology and the reporter’s participation in legal proceedings.
Other media outlets, such as Dispatch and MBC, interpreted the agency’s statement as being directed at TV Chosun. Dispatch noted issues with the content of the original report, while MBC suggested the statement criticized the unauthorized coverage by a media outlet.
HODU&U Entertainment takes legal action against unauthorized disclosures of Lee Sun Gyun’s Farewell Letter.
Following the agency’s statement, TV Chosun removed the report and related videos. All articles on their website now return as unavailable.
The ‘Suicide Reporting Guidelines 3.0’ by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Central Suicide Prevention Center, and the Korean Journalists Association advise against reporting farewell letter contents to protect the privacy of the deceased and their families and to prevent the glorification of suicide.
