Director Kwak Kyung-taek Discusses Actor Kwak Do-won's DUI Incident Ahead of 'Firefighter' Release

Director Kwak Kyung-taek, known for his work on the film 'Firefighter', addressed the recent DUI controversy surrounding actor Kwak Do-won during an interview on November 28 in a café located in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. He expressed understanding of Kwak Do-won's sincere desire to apologize but emphasized that it is a time for reflection and restraint.

Set to release on December 4, 'Firefighter' depicts the harrowing experiences of firefighters during the 2001 Hongje-dong arson incident, focusing on their singular mission to extinguish the fire and rescue victims despite challenging conditions. The film, which was completed in 2020, faced delays primarily due to Kwak Do-won's DUI arrest in September 2022.

Kwak Kyung-taek shared, "After filming, I have engaged in extensive promotional activities, but I have never felt so constrained as I do now. Every question feels sensitive, and it’s hard not to harbor resentment towards the cause of this situation."

Regarding the editing of Kwak Do-won's scenes, he noted, "We didn’t completely cut out his parts. A firefighter who was present during the incident mentioned that alcohol served as a coping mechanism during tough times. Including scenes of Kwak Do-won drinking could misrepresent the film's original intent, so we removed those close-up shots. However, removing his scenes would also eliminate the reactions of other actors, which I wanted to avoid to maintain balance. As someone responsible for the project, I felt it was important to clearly communicate my thoughts and set boundaries."

Kwak also discussed the reasons for the film's delayed release, stating, "COVID-19 was the first factor, followed by Kwak Do-won's unfortunate incident. The change in our distribution partner and various other circumstances contributed to the four-year delay. It wasn’t solely due to Kwak Do-won. I even feared that we might not be able to release the film at all. The DUI issue keeps resurfacing, and each time, it brings Kwak Do-won back into the spotlight, which has been distressing. I have endured a lot of heartache over this. The investors have likely suffered more than I have. It’s disheartening to see them face such difficulties for something they didn’t cause."

He concluded by acknowledging Kwak Do-won's ongoing desire to apologize, stating, "I understand his feelings completely, but right now, he needs to reflect on his actions."