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Rising indie film director died after assault, says family

Published: 31 Mar. 2026, 14:17 Updated: 31 Mar. 2026, 14:50

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

Film director Kim Chang-min [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The family of indie film director Kim Chang-min claimed Tuesday that he died after being assaulted last October.

Kim reportedly died of a cerebral hemorrhage at a hospital on Nov. 7 last year at age 40 after collapsing at a restaurant in Guri in the early hours of Oct. 20 last year, and his organs were donated to four people.

Kim's family said he actually died after being assaulted by other customers at the restaurant, but a court has dismissed the arrest warrants for the assault suspects.

The bereaved family claimed that the entire process, from the police's initial response and investigation following the incident to the punishment of the suspects, was inadequate.

"Kim visited the 24-hour restaurant on the day of the incident because his son, who has autistic traits, suddenly wanted to eat pork cutlets," a family member said.

"During the meal, an argument and physical altercation broke out with customers sitting at another table due to issues such as noise, and Kim was struck by a fist and fell to the floor. He was transferred to a nearby hospital about an hour later but eventually died," the family member said.

Police identified the main suspect and initially sought an arrest warrant on charges of causing serious bodily injury. Prosecutors rejected the request, asking for further investigation.

The Uijeongbu District Court in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi [YONHAP]

Following additional inquiries and at the request of the bereaved family, police later applied for arrest warrants for two suspects on charges of causing a fatal injury. However, a district court in Uijeongbu denied the request, citing the suspects' stable residences and the low risk that they would destroy evidence.

The case was forwarded to prosecutors last week without detention.

Ultimately, the police handed the case over to the prosecution last week without detaining the suspects. Kim's family said they are outraged that five months have passed since the incident, yet the suspects are still freely roaming the streets.

"From the initial response to the handling of the suspects, everything has been insufficient," the family said.

The late Kim debuted in 2016 with "Someone's Daughter" and went on to direct many socially conscious films, including "Guui Station Exit No. 3." He won Best Director at the 2016 Police Human Rights Film Festival.

BY LIM JEONG-WON, YONHAP [[email protected]]