That is so awful! As viewers, what can we do to demand better work conditions? Reflects the story of unpaid actors and director "Faith", who committed suicide. As much as we enjoy our kdramas, it comes from the industry full of social injustice: overworking, verbal abuse, sexual harassment cases, funding issues, debts...

I had thought that tvN ordering a second season was a bit inappropriate given the circumstances even before all this came out, now it seems like outright mockery to the family.

So sad to see such a new and young talent squandered like this.

That's horrible. Stuff like this makes it really hard to enjoy k-dramas/k-pop sometimes. They really need to overhaul the entire system. Yes, I want my steady stream of k-dramas, but not at the expense of people's well-being. I rather wait than have people completely break down.

The fact that he was an advocate for labor / employee empowerment makes me so sad that he took his own life after experiencing the injustices at work. I fully cannot comprehend how Korean companies can overwork their staff especially the interns / youngest staff. The Korean government should sanction companies who do not give their employees a good working environment.

If any of you is going through all these injustices at work, please resign. Look for another job, the one that you deserve.

Very sad. My thoughts are with his family. I hope the Korean entertainment industry will start realising that something needs to change.

This is terribly sad. I don't even know what to say. Condolences to PD Lee Han and his loved ones.

could it be that the korean audience knows about all of this and as such, are perhaps 'boycotting' shows on tvN and maybe also OCN (thus the low ratings for tvN shows lately)? this is terrible!

This is very sad news indeed. I am surprised and shocked by the fact, prior to his death, that his parents were called in to the company. Seems like CJ E&M was abusing their power all over the place. Those poor parents, berated over their sons absence, to then subsequently find him dead - terrible.

I truly hope that something good can come from an incident such as this. Real change in labor laws and enforcement need to occur. Employees shouldn't have to put up with a hostile work environment or be grossly overworked.

Sending prayers to the family.

"They also suggested that his suicide was solely due to his own mental weakness." Wow, that is absolutely sickening. No matter how many times I hear about situations like this, it still somehow manages to surprise me in the worst way possible. We become so used to the uplifting messages provided by so many of these shows and how they deal with these things... it's hard to swallow the fact that these tragedies continue to happen even within the companies that produce these beloved dramas. Like you said, tipsymocha, you'd hope they would be inspired by their own shows to do what's right. It's a pity. A huge pity.

This really is awful...you watch this shiny, pretty shows and wait for a happy ending and then you find out what was happening behind cameras...To be honest, I think he could simply leave this job if it was THIS stressful, but on another hand how could I blame someone for not giving up on his dream and sticking to it till the moment it killed him?

With the loss of a life, so much is lost. The cultural differences also cannot always be understood. To feel at such a young age that there is nothing further for them in life is more than a tragedy. For any and all, ill-regardless of where they may be geographically, that feel this is the only option for them, my strong hope is that they are able to find an alternative to this action. Whether it is a family member/friend or group that can offer counseling/aide, please look for it before this really final decision is made. For those employers, or anyone that think a human being is nothing to be considered of any worth, a strong-strong shame on you. There is special value and worth in all of us, whether we are an Einstein or sit in a corner and suck our thumbs.

This is legit awful. :(

Wow, this is really terrible. Seems like an awful idea do a season 2 with such a tragic circumstance in the background. I hope at least this brings enough attention to the labor abuses in the industry that something starts to happen to improve conditions.

Oh my goodness.

I do take for granted the amount of work and stress it takes to make a drama. Not to take away from a bad or boring dramas, but I am privileged to sit behind my laptop screen, and complain when a drama doesn't deliver what I want exactly. We are lucky to be able to comment and critique dramas that people have tirelessly worked to create.

I hope this company and its employees are held accountable for what they did, and that this devastating event results in positive change. If anyone who is suffering is reading this post, please know you are loved, and that this community is alway here for you!!

This is so devastating and I can't imagine what his family must have gone through and dealing with right now. ㅠㅠ So sad to hear about the circumstances that drove him to take his life. It's just really tragic that such a bright, young potential talent ended his life before he could even spread his wings or press on with what he's been advocating. =(

This is so awful. And a reminder of the dark dark world of filming production and large conglomerates behind the screen. Am sad for the junior pd and his family. Would justice be served or squashed again by higher powers?

First of all, dear Lee Han Bit, rest peacefully wherever you are.

While his body was found on October 26, Lee PD was actually reported missing on the 21st when he didn’t show up for work. However, it wasn’t until October 25 that his parents were notified, albeit for different reasons. Lee PD’s parents were summoned to CJ E&M’s offices to criticize their son for his work, calling him unqualified to work for them. His parents found his body the next day.

The timing is very scary and troubling. If he was reported missing the 21st and was harassed in his work, there is no way they wouldn't have tried to reach him immediately by any way, including going to his home.

Either way, I just hope that justice will be done and citizens will stand up against big corporations' wrongdoings. Where I live there were a lot of scandal like these and things have changed since then, although it's still far away from being perfect.

I was really looking forward to DS2 but this news just makes the whole thing an insult. To the precious life that was lost

I read and read and boiling along the way till I read point (4) and I am furious. These people aren't even human. Success of the TV stations have obviously gotten into their heads till they have no compassion as humans left in them. What could be more disgusting than to paint the deceased in such demeaning manner and worst, they don't even feel sorry for their inhumane action. I hope a lawsuit and some jail time knocking at their door real soon.

I have absolutely no empathy whatsoever for the company, this is horrible, imagine how much pain his family and friends are in! It's moments like these that remind me again of how tough and dirty the drama/movie industry can be. Even if there is a second season, I personally refuse to watch it. May Lee PD rest in peace and hope justice is served.

I am sad and upset. I've always felt the way of ragging newbies instead of mentoring them to be cruel. This case went too far on the abuse and has highlighted again the injustices hidden behind the glossy facade of corporations, against their very own. This puts a damper on the enjoyment of many things and entertainment. Can I watch shows in the same way again?

My condolences to the family and friend left by PD Lee. It grieves me that he received this kind of treatment when he should be recognized as a part of a succesful show. This kind of behind the scene reveal makes me leery in enjoying kdrama...

RIP PD Lee Han-bit

poor guy, i don't even what more to say...

It's a living proof that working in entertainment industry really sucks. I, myself, once dreamed to work behind the camera as a production staff but after reading this, I totally made up my mind that I will never try working in this career. Behind those glamour and fame is the horrible and unhealthy working environment that never treat staff as humans after all.

To the young PD, please rest peacefully wherever you are. My condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.

I do agree with many comments here that everyone is precious in his or her own way. To lose a life os the worst lost since all things are lost with it. To produce a good drama behind the scenes staff should not overwork themselves. It's good tone strict and effective but.. at the cost of losing someone is just isn't worth it. It's just isn't worth it at all.

I don't understand why people like using harsh words and call that being effective and professional. These are two different things, totally two different things. Being a professional or making a successful drama and abusing someone are not the same thing or in anyway related. It's sad to see this kind of logic is being used in the grown-up world.

This is so sad. We always see the shiny bright product from outside and forget how many hours of toil from crew is required. Making two hours of quality production(that is almost a mini movie) every week involves so much of hard work, dedication and team work. I have always been amazed at how much Korea is able to do such quality content in such short period.

And its extra sad to see that such talent to shows is not rewarded and celebrated but mistreated and underpaid. :(

This is when governments are supposed to step in and overhaul system with regulations making it safer and better for people safeguarding them from corporate interests but when corporate lobby becomes the government, sadly we have no place to go :(

My condolences to his family!

Two days off out of fifty-five? Tell me there's going to be a class action.

They called his parents to criticize their son's work? Is this high school?

That is so heartbreaking... imagine how hard he's been working all his life. The pressure to get in to Seoul university, getting the right grades to graduate and finally getting a corporate job. The pressure was probably mounting. Considering he's a newbie, the company should have given him the proper training and support to succeed and not put him in so much pressure that he subsequently had to take his own life.

this is so sad. how could they treat their employees like this.

This puts tears in my eyes, and makes me question whether I should be consuming these products that are obviously not being ethically produced...

Please, if anyone reading this feels that they are overwhelmed and that there is only one option, remember that there are people out there willing to listen and talk you through it, even if we can only be there online.

Awful situation. What can we do about this?

Despite the popularity of K-dramas, Korea itself remains one of the most stressful, most unhappy, and highest suicide rate of nearly all OECD countries. Taiwan, a much more laid back and fun country has a suicide rate less than half of Korea.

I'm utterly disgusted with CJ E&M and those colleagues who verbally abused him. I hope the names and faces of those involved in this young man's suicide are exposed. I hope this story continues to make headlines as a reminder of the inhumane conditions that often crop up when producing a drama and perhaps, conditions can improve, so this won't happen again.

I'm relieved his parents have the support of that civilian investigative agency.

I have a lot of thoughts on this because I'm in the medical line, and as a junior I had to work crazy hours too. And it was the culture to do so- you did it because everyone had done it, and in fact, my medical parents were often telling me that our working hours were much better than what they had in their time!

So I can understand a bit as to why the work-hard-because-everyone-is and if-you-can't-cope-you-are-thought-to-be-weak culture is as such in the production company.

However the subsequent attitude towards and treatment of PD Lee's family after his suicide is just plain disgusting and abhorrent. And there is no excuse for his verbal abuse at the company, nor the subsequent attempt at a cover up and smearing of his name.

There is also little justification for such a working culture in a drama production company. Why do you need such a tight filming schedule anyway? Can't dramas be planned earlier? I get that in this case they faced unforeseen problems but certainly even their normal live shoot schedule is too crazy and stressful.

In medicine at least I can say that long hours are more justified because firstly there is a necessity for 24hour medical care in hospitals, and it has been shown that too many handovers (when doctors pass the patient's care over to another) can be detrimental because things can be missed if it's not done properly.

But even in medicine there have been many studies on the detrimental effects of lack of sleep on patient safety and moves to improve this. Also, they have noticed that the suicide rate for doctors is double that of the general population and steps have been made towards improving the the work environment and reducing the risk factors involved.

I hope that this case will be a milestone in Korean drama filming history, such that CJ E&M are taken to task and that it forces all production companies to relook at their work practices and hours and treatment of their staff. Only then will PD Lee's death not be in vain. And as an advocate for employment and labor rights, it would be a fitting tribute to his sacrifice as well.

How awful. The ugly behind-the-scenes stories of some of these dramas really ruin the way I view dramas overall. Sure, the shows themselves are a great escape and may have uplifting stories and all, but if there are people committing suicide over how things are bts, then forget it. I still haven't watched Faith because the news of the director committing suicide is still fresh in my memory. Drinking Solo was on my PTW list, but I don't feel right watching it anymore. Things definitely need to change. I hope they eventually do.

I have never worked in the entertainment industry and don't know much about it, but are things this bad with behind-the-scenes in Hollywood TV shows/movies? Or Japanese dramas/movies?

omg what an awful news and what a disgusting company that is :S

Urgh! This is so heartbreaking. May his soul rest in peace and may his parents find some solace as well. I can't believe all the nonsense that goes on behind the scenes. Nothing makes me as pissed as conglomerates who think that just because they have so money, they're above the law and can treat people like dirt. I would say I hope all his colleagues who lied against him and abused him feel guilty for their abominable behaviour but if their slander after his death is anything to be believed, they haven't learned anything yet. It's a real pity.

Tragic.
As much as I love k-drama I have never watched a series that was worth anyone's life.

:(

What a miserable situation. As foreign fans, what can we do? Do we boycott tvN and OCN shows? Can we expect sites to which we subscribe refuse to carry their shows until their terrible policies are corrected and the company is held to a higher standard of responsibility? Such practices are rampant throughout the industry. I'm not sure how we could have an effect upon their actions. But talking about it through articles like this is hopefully an excellent start to a strong dialogue about it.

Sigh... I love Korean dramas, I think that while some can have silly plots and episodes I have always admired the way they are produced (cinematography, costumes, ect.ect. not so much on the live shooting aspect) and the messages some of them cover. Korean dramas are addicting in a way I can't explain, but whenever I hear about what goes behind cameras I always get upset and I lose some admiration for the Korean entertainment industry. From what I hear is it just too much pressure and expectations on everyone from the crew to the cast. We have heard about injuries on set, actors who have had to go back to work mere days after suffering an accident or having some illness, actors or like in this case PDs who have committed suicide and it just continues to happen. How the f*ck do you make a person get to the point that they don't see any other way out except by committing suicide, from filming a mere show production?!? Like how? It also angers me that they used and blamed his "mental weakness" as an excuse or explanation on why he decided to end his life.

Such a sad matter. The working conditions don't seem to be improving at all.
Does this mean dramas don't make enough money to pay enough staff, to avoid overwork?

How many more suicides must occur before something drastic is done?

That's why the replace director for new season? So sad about this. I really hate dramas that filming too late (Goblin (not enough soon), Chicago Typewriter, Suspicious Partner)

Dear tipsymocha,

Thank you for reporting this story, and managing to express any objectivity at all under the circumstances. Reading it brought tears to my eyes.

To the family of Lee Han-bit PD, I am so very sorry for the loss of your precious child and brother. I wish you peace of mind and heart, and the comfort of happy memories of your lives together. Blessings on all of you.

The first thing that came to mind as I read this article was "Sewol 2.0" -- and the wish that Lee Han-bit PD did not die in vain. It appears that CJ E&M has treated the deceased and his parents with outrageous contempt, and acted in a despicable manner while stonewalling the civilian committee's investigation.

It remains to be seen whether this scandalous behavior results in the Korean entertainment industry's own real-life version of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, the landmark 1906 novel that exposed the horrendous working conditions in Chicago's meatpacking industry. One can only hope that the case stays front and center in the public eye in the run-up to the presidential election – and during heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula.

This report adds new meaning to the phrase "guilty pleasure" for me as an international fan of Kdramas. As a private individual in a foreign country, there's not much I can do by way of protest – except to cease buying CJ's frozen mandoo.