Korean Movie Director’s Raw Honest Response To Lead Actor’s DUI That Jeopardized The Release

When movie director Kwak Kyung Taek began shooting The Firefighters in May 2020, he thought the COVID-19 pandemic would be the biggest obstacle to getting the movie released. But on September 25, 2022, one of the lead actors, Kwak Do Won, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, putting the release on a perpetual hold.

Fast-forward to November 2024, The Firefighters has finally been scheduled for a December 2024 release. At the press conference, the director then got raw and honest about the DUI that jeopardized the release.

The director explained that the movie was going through post-production recording when he heard the DUI news. Admitting to having felt angry and resentful, the director urged Kwak Do Won to keep reflecting.

I heard about the accident two years ago when we were finishing up the post-production recording for the movie’s release. To be honest, I hated him. I was very angry and full of resentment.

I believe he needs to take full responsibility for his actions and take time to reflect on and learn from them.

— Kwak Kyung Taek

According to the director, removing all of Kwak Do Won’s screen time was impossible—especially given the pace of the movie that he directed to appeal to an audience that has become accustomed to short-form content. He explained that while “[he] couldn’t eliminate Kwak Do Won’s character,” he removed what he could.

The director also admitted that he, too, saw Kwak Do Won’s lingering appearance in the movie as a “risk” and that he wasn’t sure how to respond to questions about the troubled actor. But after speaking with an actual firefighter, the director decided to brave the press conference and release The Firefighters for the public to see.

Having to release the movie with such a risk factor, I was really unsure about how to respond if I get questions about actor Kwak Do Won. But recently, I met a firefighter, and I confided in him about how I felt. He told me, ‘Sir, when we go fight fires, we don’t go in alone; we work as a team. You have the rest of your cast lineup fighting with you, so stay strong.’ I drew a lot of strength from those words.

— Kwak Kyung Taek

Korean moviegoers are praising the director’s response, urging more companies to include a compensation clause in their contracts for scandals that compromise the production in any way.

• “Troublemaking actors are nuisances for sure. I have a production I want to watch, but I can’t because one of the cast members who is problematic… I bet it’s even more frustrating for people who are involved in making the content.”
• “I love disaster movies and I love Ju Won, so I was waiting for this movie to be released. I’m glad it’s finally premiering. I’ll have to go watch it.”
• “It’s good to hear the director call him out like that. I hate how the men working in the K-Movie scene are constantly helping each other out through their scandals.”
• “Of course, it’s a nuisance. A compensation clause for scandals should be included in all contracts.”
• “It must have been difficult for the director to step up and talk about him like that. It sounds like he gave it a lot of thought, too.”
• “What a nuisance for all…”

The Firefighters is a movie based on an actual fire disaster that took place in a Seoul neighborhood in March 2001. The movie is said to capture the intense, high-stakes situation  that the Seobu Fire Station team faced.

Watch the trailer here: