Wow, the PD is missing on the 21st but they only reported it a day before the PD is found dead? All sorts of wrong.

And calling the parents only to criticize their child? What is this? Grade school?

That's it, I'm boycotting.

I'm surprised to see such a detailed post on the incident here, but I'm glad you did. It's quite scary how truly crazy worklife in Korea is, and as much as "know" from dramas, sometimes reality doesn't sink in until you hear reports like this.
To be honest, it's amazing that the efforts of the family and committee even got this far. I really hope that the current climate of frustration and suspicion towards shady corporations helps to turn things around for the better.

May his soul R.I.P ??

It sad and at the same time scary how this is a common occurrence.Most people want to pursue their passions but the path is never easy,the income is not enough,and some people don't get through it unscathed...

Some things can never be taken back...

We often forget what happens behind the scenes:
The cold nights doing live productions
-The long all-nighters (think of it like doing 14 hour OTs)
-The plastic surgery (Not everybody enjoys or wants to go under the knife)
-the rush for deadlines,illegal trades and conspirations. (People are forced to sell themselves for a position in the industry)

Ironically we watch k-dramas to escape life but the people behind the scenes are in living anything but a fairytale.
They may be behind the makings of lovable rom-coms but they're then overtaken by greed and pride.it definitely depends on the person to let fame get to them but some just...

It's scary how this generation is so obsessed with materialism and violence.

Take his generation for example:

Generation Z

Sadly people even argue over an apple just to fight.
Then when it actualmy happens we don't stop or want to help them anymore ...
Instead most watch,record, or even encourage.

Sometime on the news It was shown,
Someone calls for help it natural to help them and a man does stop by the side of the road but it turns out the guy is for better words mentally unstable and stabbed/killed him with a knife.Then for a period after that people were afraid to even help strangers !!!

What is our world coming to ?
If only we had a another dimension to travel to..
Wait..that why we went into k-dramensions
I just wanted to escape society sometimes...?
............................
Why do you mean this is reality...???
.

What a horrifying story and my sympathy goes out to that poor fellow's family. This always makes me think of King of Dramas and the craziness that happens behind the scenes of these dramas. Thank you for breaking this down and I will make sure not to support this network. What a nasty lot they all seem to be. Damn.

This news is very bad for CJ. As a result of the public outcry from this horrible story, CJ's other productions have slowed or have halted together. I have a friend involved in the Mnet's Show Me the Money and he tells me that everyone is treading very slowly and softly at CJ now. Bad for those who enjoy CJ's content, but good for the industry as a whole. No more of this rookie (막내) bullying and bashing!!

This is so sad. Been bullied at work is very stressful and depression. For the little bit of bullying I get was enough for my to run as fast as I can find. I was fortunate to know that I can't change it but to find another place to work. Even though it's the same company but with different people. I find my peace and I hope the family can find there peace.

This is horrible beyond words. CJ E&M should be barred from making dramas for a year.

I have heard stories of this company's hardline tactics on everyone. I guess it means they apply it to their employees. They are already known to be profited orientated and ruthless.

Now the rookie PD would already be used to the harsh study environment to graduate from SNU. Plus be involved in student politics. If he worked for 2 months without a break- the 2 days wasn't even probably 48hrs- and was accused of being irresponsible and not hard working enough then there is something massively wrong with the company mindset.

I can believe the phone recordings and accusations against them. What I don't believe is that they would be punished to the full extent of the law.

My condolences to the family of the bereaved. I feel even worse that justice won't be served to them. What a bitter pill to swallow. And to lose a precious son and brother.

As someone who works in a very similar environment/industry(OT w/o pay, demanding managers) I feel for him. Sadly the root cause is not just the lack of labor laws but the work norms people are used to, which is so hard to break.

This is just sad. Systems should be reviewed. Handling such sensitive matters should be done with human beings (and rights!) in mind.

This is so sad. May him rest in peace.
They need make drama from this story and reveal the truth.

First of all, my most sincere condolences go out to the family of this young man. I can't even begin to imagine what they have been going through. There are no words.

Second, what I find astonishing is the view held by many in South Korea about psychological distress. Here we have a country, wonderful in so many ways, and so modern. It is so interconnected, so on the cutting edge technologically, with an educated population and with access to research/reference materials on virtually any subject matter. A country seemingly living in the 21st century. But then someone goes on to declare that "suicide is a result of mental weakness". Suddenly, you're in the 18th century. Dear Korea, I would've expected a more learned opinion by now. It's 2017. For your precious citizens, Korea, make that necessary change. They deserve this, not death.

My condolence to Lee PD's family.
I'm not going to say much, just to voice my resolution to boycott tvN's dramas from now onwards, at least until there is an official apology from CJ E&M for their hideous part they played in this matter.

This is such terrible news. :( I pray for strength for his family and friends to get through this and hope some kind of action is taken against the company.

But like other commenters here, I think the major problem is the live shooting system. The pressure to finish each episode within the deadline would be huge. I can understand live shooting for daily or weekend dramas because the plot has to be built up, in which case the shooting should be started long before the air date to complete each episode comfortably. But for miniseries, it is totally unnecessary. Changing a drama midway for higher ratings will only confuse the viewers and 90 percent won't result in the expected ratings. this kind of overworking, abuse and suffering to workers in any field should be stopped. They should be given proper working hours and given weekends off. :(

This is honestly so terrible to read! So many conglomerates seem to place next to no value on human lives. Everybody seems expendable. If one person goes, another one comes in to fill their place.

As if it wasn't bad enough that this fellow committed suicide, I'm even more sickened by the fact that they behaved so obstructively to his family and slandered his character. I wish there some way for the conglomerate to own up that they royally fucked up and make reparations. :(

Despicable behavior. I hope his family receives justice, and may the poor man's soul rest in peace.

The family should take legal action. until you made the abuser pay in money and negative publicity, it will never change. I hope the issue will end up in court for moral responsibility.

Honestly if all of us drama fans could band together to form a lobby group, would our voices be heard?
I'm sure among us there are legal advocates, social workers, community workers, maybe even politicians!
It could be an international and korean group, pooling money, resource and talent together. Working in internet forums, do picketing, create videos, open up a whistle-blowing and investigative system so that stars also feel comfortable to come to us secretly if they want their situations investigated.
Maybe it sounds far-fetched by it's like using the power and dedication of saesang fans for a good use. I'll be the first sign-up! Or maybe even the only one.
We can be the Watchers, literally and figuratively.

Thank you for covering this topic here at dramabeans.

I have a question to the author regarding the choice of the photos. When an article deals with the passing of a Korean celebrity, the framed picture used for the funeral often is displayed. Not here. Was it due to cultural reasons? Say that since the cause of death is suicide, there is no framed picture at all or else, like in some Catholic areas, no religious ceremonies will be hold for those taking their own lives, or an editorial decision?

Very disturbing story. So many things wrong. RIP Lee Han-bit.

R.I.P :(

These kind of news always made me sad.

I can't even finish the article, this is just so awful :( The only silver lining I can think of is that perhaps it'll be enough to change the industry even if just a little tiny bit, to make it less likely to happen again. The bullying is unlikely to be the first thing to change, as it's a problem in most countries and not something easily fixed by law, but at least make some laws regarding work hours!

The channel and the the producers of every drama should understand that the fans all over the world just dont support and fall in love with the actors and cast only. If we appriciate a drama or even a scene in a drama the credit goes to the entire crew starting from the actors till last man who helped create that amazing scene. So plz take notice we send our love to the entire set and NOT JUST THE ACTORS.
I may be from another country who has no rights to say about this, but yet abuse to any human is an international threat. Plz treat your co workers with dignity and respect, it has better effects than money - I can assure you on that as a HR and a member of an entrepreneur family. Lastly dont make us feel guilty everytime we watch an amazing drama- it will definitely take a toll on you on day.

It's times like this when I am glad I am not Korean... I hear from Korean mothers how kids spend all day at school and after school at those tuition centers... And how the working hours are so stressful... If one can find a job! Korea is such a beautiful country, but the society just seems too stressful! Is there not a way to make a living while having a work life balance? Wasn't there an article about a working mother who died from fatigue soon after returning from maternity? That is crazy. The article also stated that most mothers don't even dare to take maternity leave as they fear losing their jobs? Something needs to be done in the sk society...

I hope justice will be given to his family. Hearing your son being degraded by the company then finding out that he took his own life because of work is so heartbreaking to any parent. :(

How sad. Poor guy. And no apology actually would amend the horror of the situation. only some real steps to change the attitudes.

I hope it does show the irony that as a kdrama fan I am mourning PD Lee and yet I look for paralels in dramas. I cannot get rid of the idea of The Awl. And the thought that if there was someone on his side, things might have ended up differently. But that is a big if, what do I know.
Also it is terrible that a drama that gave me so much hope and such a good feel for the underdog story had such a terrible bts conditions. RIP PDnim.

This is shocking news. To be honest, I only know Dramaland Korea. And I am a rookie on this too. That said, working environment seems fierce and ruthless.
Im currently watching Radiant Office and sure I thought the situation was being exaggerated for drama purpose. But now Im beginning to understand it is actually true. The pressure, abuse etc.. young people have to go through to not even success, just get a job is unbelievable.
The competition is wild but the worst part is how much society and families makes them believe they are nothing if they fail. Like no alternatives, no mercy... seems tome they are trying to raise successful robots.
Being a decent, honest and a hardworking human being is a success in itself, if society forgets about this, outcomes like this are to be expected..

This drives it home to me that we international fans only get to see the glamour of Kdramas and Kpop industry but usually can't see the flip side of all this! The way he was treated (and I am sure how many rookies are treated) is inhumane. He was clearly over-worked seeing the number of duties he had to perform! And then to suffer abuse on top of it all! It's also doubly sad that he was a supporter of labor rights but could not change the system before he was swept under it.

I too hope that the industry learns something from this and gives all the crew their due and before that, their basic human rights.

this news remind me of Radiant Office....junior or temp workers are often bullied .... some seniors are really bad towards them....the part that they try to cover up their misdeeds are even worse....and I think dramas that are not pre-produced can really cause them heavy stress so much....

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.

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)

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?

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.

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.

:(

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

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.

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

Awful situation. What can we do about this?