An unidentified actress has accused acclaimed South Korean director Kim Ki-Duk of sexual assault, Screen Daily reported.
The woman, who has been referred to as “Actress A” by the local media, addressed a press conference in Seoul on December 14 where she accused the director of physical and sexual abuse on the sets of his 2013 film Moebius. She alleged that Kim slapped her on set and forced her to do an unscripted sex scene. She claimed she was eventually replaced in the production, which was screened out of competition at the Venice International Film Festival in 2013.
Speaking from behind a white screen, the actress said she was afraid that the director would abuse her again if she spoke against him. “It’s not that I’m showing up after four years to bring charges,” the actress told reporters. “This case has taken a whole four years just to bring charges.”
The actress had filed a complaint with prosecutors in August, under a South Korean procedure that provides for tackling minor cases without going to court. On December 7, Kim was charged with physical assault and fined $4,600. Other accusations, including sexual harassment, coercion, and defamation, were dismissed by the prosecutors citing lack of evidence.
The actress then called the press conference. The actress said she would appeal the decision to drop the remaining charges on Kim, reported Screen Daily.
Describing the assault, she said, “One day, Kim said ‘I’ll set your emotion’ and suddenly slapped my face really hard three times in a row in front of everybody, before turning the camera towards me and filming.”
The director said that he may have slapped the actress to draw the desired emotion out of her, but it was not personal. He has denied the other allegations.
The actress said that after the 2013 incident, when she approached lawyers and film industry figures for help, she was told to “just forget about it and move on”.
Kim’s credits include Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003), 3-Iron (2004), Arirang (2011) and Pietà (2012), which won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival. He is one of South Korea’s best-known independent directors, and also has a following in India, especially in Kerala, where his films have been frequently screened at the International Film Festival of Kerala.
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