Director Reveals How Scared Kim Sae Ron Was During Her Last Project Before Death

Lee Sun Jung, the director of Guitar Man, recently spoke up on the late Kim Sae Ron. Guitar Man was one of her last projects before she passed away. During a press conference on May 21, 2025, he sorrowfully recalled his time working with her. Lee, who is also the CEO of Sungwon Pharmaceuticals, took on multiple roles for the project — lead actor, director, producer, screenwriter, planner, and composer.

Even after Kim’s passing in February, Lee continued with post-production, though it was painful to see her in the film. He felt that he made a promise to Kim Sae Ron to make sure the film made it to theaters. Despite public skepticism following her drunk driving incident, director Lee Sun Jung stood firmly behind the actress’s return to the screen. At the time of casting, there was significant concern about the potential backlash, with some crew members warning that the film might never see the light of day due to the controversy surrounding its lead actress. Lee chose to push forward, unwavering in his belief in her talent.

“We initially had another actress in mind for the role, but after meeting Kim Sae Ron, everything changed. From our very first meeting, she came having read the script thoroughly and brought with her a wealth of ideas. Her passion for a small-scale film like ours was something I deeply appreciated. And that bright smile, I’ll never forget it.”

Following her casting, Kim Sae Ron made the difficult decision to step away from her part-time job at a café despit her financial difficulties, in order to devote herself fully to the film. Yet behind her commitment and professionalism, Lee witnessed the emotional toll the situation took on the young actress.

“I still remember how she’d smile in front of the camera but seem visibly drained once she turned away. She was deeply conscious of how people perceived her. When she wasn’t filming, she stayed mostly in her car, trying to avoid unwanted attention. Even when we all sat down to eat and have a drink together, she poured her alcohol into a water glass out of fear that someone might see. Watching that made my heart ache. I kept wondering if she really had to go this far.”

Lee previously spoke on her health condition during the project. You can read more about it here.

Kim Sae Ron’s Condition During Last Project Before Death Comes To Light