Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar have recently faced expulsion from the Writers Guild of America amid controversy surrounding their work on The Sympathizer. This article delves into their response and the implications of their actions.
Park Chan-wook Addresses WGA Expulsion
After being expelled from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on Friday for allegedly violating strike rules, Park Chan-wook and his writing partner Don McKellar have contested the union’s portrayal of their actions regarding The Sympathizer in 2023.
Response from Moho Film
An official from Park’s production company, Moho Film, stated this week that the duo “completed writing the entire script…and began filming long before the WGA strike began,” adding that the HBO series was in post-production by the time the WGA called for a halt.
Clarification on Editing and Writing
“Editing does not constitute writing, so it was permitted under WGA regulations,” the official’s statement, verified by Deadline, claims. “While editing, the two received a proposal from HBO to change some settings. They held a brainstorming session to explore if the new settings could be implemented based on the footage. However, they were aware that new script writing was not allowed during the strike, so they did not rewrite or revise any existing scripts for any scenes. The new writing occurred after the strike ended.”
Investigation and Findings
According to Park and McKellar’s team, the WGA initiated an investigation into their potential strike violations in December. The findings were presented to a jury of fellow WGA members who concluded that the violations were unintentional and stemmed from a misunderstanding of their roles during post-production, recommending only a confidential warning.
Expulsion Decision
However, the WGA Board of Directors ultimately voted to expel both writers “without specific explanation,” contradicting the jury’s recommendation, according to the statement to Korean media.
Impact on Careers
Park and McKellar have opted not to appeal their expulsions due to the time-consuming nature of the process, which Park stated would interfere with his other projects. While it is a setback for the duo’s stature in Hollywood, it does not signify the end of their careers, as the union cannot legally bar non-members from working with signatories of its MBA. Instead, non-members working with a signatory under its contracts must pay a fee that offsets the cost of union representation on that project.
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Notable Non-Members
The pair are not the only prominent creatives who are not WGA members, whether by choice or circumstance. They join a group that includes George Clooney, Sylvester Stallone, and George Lucas.
Park’s Commitment to Fellow Creators
“Director Park has always had a deep respect for his fellow writers and creators, and has consistently maintained a spirit of solidarity with them, and will continue to do so in the future,” the official added in their statement to Korean media.
WGA’s Response
The WGA has not responded to Deadline’s requests for comment regarding Park and McKellar’s expulsions or the claims that the decision contradicted the jury’s proposed warning. This is not the first instance where the Board has disregarded disciplinary recommendations for 2023 strike violators.
In April, the Guild announced disciplinary actions against six members for alleged unauthorized work during the union’s 2023 strike, as well as one additional member for an alleged violation of the Guild’s constitution—three of whom appealed on the grounds that the Board ignored the recommended punishments in favor of harsher actions. In Friday’s announcement to members, the WGA stated that all three appeals were denied and the Board’s decisions were upheld by the membership.
According to the WGA, “there are no further strike-related disciplines and all Article X proceedings arising from the 2023 strike have concluded.”
