Overview

• The Writers Guild of America announced on August 8 that it expelled Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar for performing what it deems forbidden writing services on HBO’s The Sympathizer during the 2023 strike.
• Park’s representatives insist all scripts were finished before the strike and that subsequent editing and idea meetings did not constitute prohibited writing under WGA regulations.
• A WGA trial committee had proposed a private censure, but the board overruled that recommendation and imposed the maximum penalty; neither writer sought an appeal.
• Expelled members lose voting rights, eligibility for guild offices, event access and awards consideration, though U.S. labor law and financial-core options allow continued employment on WGA-covered projects.
• The case underscores a longstanding dispute between the WGA and Directors Guild over whether post-production tasks like editing qualify as writing services during a strike.