Kim Soo Hyun’s Real movie director speaks out after Sulli’s explicit scene controversy amid Kim Sae Ron row

On Saturday, director Lee responded to a user who asked him to address the ongoing controversy surrounding Kim Soo Hyun and Sulli, assuming he had led the project. Clarifying his role, Lee stated that he was “not credited” as the film’s director and, therefore, couldn’t provide an official explanation.

However, he did share some insight into the production process. “In response to the article, let me clarify: during the initial stages of the audition, the production team did not allow me to be on-site. I was excluded to ensure fairness,” he revealed. He further added, “I was able to meet the final eight candidates selected by the production team and personally chose one of them, actress Han Ji Eun, then a rookie—who joined the project and filmed with me happily.”

Also read: ‘Cha Eun Woo, don’t you feel ashamed’: ASTRO member accused of ‘betraying’ Kim Sae Ron amid Kim Soo Hyun row

Real’s original director, Lee, further addressed the film’s troubled history. He re-shared a tweet from a netizen discussing his removal from the project, which stated: “Someone mentioned an old tweet I wrote in 2017 about the director change for Real. I suppose the film is being brought up again because of a certain actor these days… No way – could it really be them? Now that the film is out, I can say this confidently: Director Lee Jung Sub had absolutely 0% responsibility for how that movie turned out.”

In response, Lee wrote, “Thank you. It has pained me deeply for a long time.” Originally, Lee Jung Sub was set to direct the film, but midway he was replaced by Lee Sa Rang, Kim Soo Hyun’s cousin and the current CEO of GOLDMEDALIST, the production company behind Real. At the time, the official reason for the directorial switch was cited as “creative differences.”

This is not the first time Lee Jung Sub has spoken out against the entertainment industry. On March 11, he took to social media to condemn corruption in South Korea’s media, entertainment, and political circles. In fact, he has been quite active on social media since Kim Soo Hyun’s scandal broke. Lee has continued to post about Real, Kim Soo Hyun, Sulli, and Kim Sae Ron. On March 13, he wrote, “Too many of my beloved friends have passed away. Thinking about them, I feel like I have survived miserably and cowardly. This world is too vile to remain sane.”

Additionally, Lee has criticised Kim Soo Hyun’s handling of the ongoing allegations regarding his alleged past relationship with Kim Sae Ron. “You should apologise to the deceased first. You’re a human being. Nothing has changed; you’ve just become more vicious,” he posted earlier.  Among his posts, Lee also shared a personal memory of Sulli, alongside her photo and captioned it as, “She used to take countless photos of herself every day, asking me which one looked best. I would act overwhelmed and annoyed (though not at all), and I would just say they were all so beautiful that I could not choose. Even now, I sometimes hear her persistent voice asking for an answer, and I end up searching for the best picture with a sorrowful face.” Meanwhile, Gold Medalist earlier responded to the accusations stating they are currently look into the claims made by Sulli’s brother.