Celebrated Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook has been expelled from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) for breaching strike regulations during the production of HBO’s The Sympathizer.
On August 8 (local time), Variety reported that the WGA announced the expulsion of Park and Canadian writer Don McKellar, citing violations during the 2023 writers’ strike.
The two co-created the seven-episode miniseries The Sympathizer, based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel set during the Vietnam War. The series, starring Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr., aired in April 2024.
While the WGA did not disclose specific details of the breach, U.S. media outlets reported that Park and McKellar continued scriptwriting and production work during the strike, rather than joining the walkout. Deadline described the expulsion as “crossing a pretty big line”, calling it the harshest penalty possible for such prominent members.
The WGA, representing over 11,500 film, television, and digital content writers, held a historic joint strike with the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) from May 2023, demanding updated compensation structures, stronger copyright protections, and improved working conditions amid streaming and AI disruptions.
As a result of the expulsion, Park and McKellar will be barred from participating in projects with major studios like Disney, HBO, and Netflix, all of which have agreements with the WGA.
On August 12, Park’s production company, Moho Film, told the press:
“As the showrunner for The Sympathizer, Park participated in an idea meeting during post-production at HBO’s request to discuss setting adjustments. However, he did not engage in any script rewriting work.”
The company emphasized that Park was aware he was prohibited from working on the script during the strike and claimed they had fully communicated this to the WGA in advance. As for why he did not appeal the decision, Park explained it was because he wanted to focus on the final stages of his new film, It Can’t Be Helped.
The guild had previously disciplined seven members for strike violations, though the identities of three—now including Park—were not made public until this announcement.
Park Chan-wook is a highly acclaimed South Korean film director, screenwriter, producer, and former film critic, best known internationally for his stylish, intense storytelling and mastery of psychological thrillers.
He’s most famous for the Vengeance Trilogy — especially Oldboy (2003), which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and became a cult classic worldwide. His films often explore themes of revenge, morality, and human desire, blending striking visual style with complex, layered narratives.
Notable works include:
- Joint Security Area (2000) – political thriller about soldiers in the Korean DMZ
- Oldboy (2003) – neo-noir revenge masterpiece
- Lady Vengeance (2005) – finale of the Vengeance Trilogy
- Thirst (2009) – vampire romance-horror that won the Cannes Jury Prize
- The Handmaiden (2016) – erotic psychological thriller adapted from Fingersmith, winner of multiple awards
- Decision to Leave (2022) – romantic mystery that earned him Best Director at Cannes
- The Sympathizer (2024, HBO)** – his Hollywood TV debut, co-created with Don McKellar
He’s considered one of Korea’s greatest contemporary filmmakers and a major influence on global cinema. - No Other Choice (2025)
Sources: 다음 – 오마이뉴스
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