Director Park Chan-wook Expelled from WGA for Writing During Strike

Renowned director Park Chan-wook has been expelled from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) for writing a script during the strike period.

According to recent reports from American entertainment outlets like Variety, the WGA has expelled director Park and screenwriter Don McKellar for writing the script for the HBO seven-part series 'The Sympathizer' during the 2023 strike.

The WGA is a major labor union representing over 11,500 writers of film, TV, and digital content in the United States. Expulsion from the WGA makes it challenging to participate in projects with major production companies that have collective agreements with the union, and it also excludes the expelled members from minimum wage guarantees and benefits provided by the union.

The WGA initiated a strike in May 2023, demanding fair revenue sharing and improved working conditions in the streaming era. During this period, the union disciplined seven writers for various rule violations.

Director Park is set to release his new film 'Decision to Leave' in South Korea next month. The film tells the story of Man-soo, played by Lee Byung-hun, a satisfied office worker who faces unexpected unemployment. As he struggles to protect his family and home, he embarks on a battle to find new employment.