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Park Chan Wook denies violating WGA guidelines for The Sympathizer after getting expelled from the Guild
Previously, celebrated filmmaker Park Chan Wook was said to have been expelled from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) after alleged rule violation.
Park Chan Wook is easily one of the most respected Korean directors across the world. Thanks to his work in Oldboy, Joint Security Area, Lady Vengeance, The Handmaiden, Decision to Leave, and more, he has become one of the faces of Korean filmmaking. So when the news hit the screens this week that he was removed from the Writers Guild of America (WGA), shock spread across the industry. Now, the director’s side has denied claims of scriptwriting during the 2023 strike, which called for a complete stoppage of their work, but has not appealed the committee’s decision to bar him from the union.
Park Chan Wook removed from WGA: Violation dispute continues
Alongside the South Korean, co-executive producer and co-writer Don McKellar was also booted from the association, citing breaking of WGA rules for their HBO mini-series. According to a statement shared by Allkpop, a representative from Moho Film said, “All scripts for The Sympathizer were completed and filming had begun well before the WGA strike commenced on May 2, 2023. Editing is not considered writing under WGA rules, so it was a permitted activity. During the editing process, HBO proposed changes to certain settings.”
Offering further clarity on the work that went on behind the scenes, they shared, “The two (Park Chan Wook and Don McKellar) held idea meetings to determine whether those changes could be implemented using existing footage”. They claimed that creative changes and possible alternatives were explored by the two, keeping in mind the ongoing strike at the time and what it entailed. It was emphasized that “they did not write or revise any scripts until after the strike ended.”
It has been revealed by Adam Levin in a comment to Variety, nothing really changes for the superstar’s career except probably having to pay a heftier retainer. He can still continue to write and direct films and projects in the West, without fearing a boycott from any involved companies or associates. The director has vehemently denied writing, so it remains to be seen what comes of this investigation. George Clooney, Sylvester Stallone and George Lucas are some of the many who have previously left the union themselves.
