DOCUMENTARY . 2022 . 1h 23m . English . 7.3/10

Free Chol Soo Lee_

On June 3, 1973, a man was murdered in a busy intersection of San Francisco’s Chinatown as part of an ongoing gang war. Chol Soo Lee, a 20-year-old Korean immigrant who had previous run-ins with the law, was arrested and convicted based on flimsy evidence and the eyewitness accounts of white tourists who couldn’t distinguish between Asian features. Sentenced to life in prison, Chol Soo Lee would spend years fighting to survive behind bars before journalist K.W. Lee took an interest in his case. The intrepid reporter’s investigation would galvanize a first-of-its-kind pan-Asian American grassroots movement to fight for Chol Soo Lee’s freedom, ultimately inspiring a new generation of social justice activists.

Starring Chol Soo Lee, Sebastian Yoon, Ranko Yamada
Box Office $50K
7.3/10
Rating
$50K
Box Office
1h 23m
Runtime
2022
Year
Updated Feb 16, 2026
Free Chol Soo Lee poster

On June 3, 1973, a man was murdered in a busy intersection of San Francisco’s Chinatown as part of an ongoing gang war. Chol Soo Lee, a 20-year-old Korean immigrant who had previous run-ins with the law, was arrested and convicted based on flimsy evidence and the eyewitness accounts of white tourists who couldn’t distinguish between Asian features. Sentenced to life in prison, Chol Soo Lee would spend years fighting to survive behind bars before journalist K.W. Lee took an interest in his case. The intrepid reporter’s investigation would galvanize a first-of-its-kind pan-Asian American grassroots movement to fight for Chol Soo Lee’s freedom, ultimately inspiring a new generation of social justice activists.

WHERE TO WATCH

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Cast
Chol Soo Lee stars as Self (archive footage) in Free Chol Soo Lee.
Chol Soo Lee →
Year context
Free Chol Soo Lee was released 4 years ago in 2022.
Overview
On June 3, 1973, a man was murdered in a busy intersection of San Francisco’s Chinatown as part of an ongoing gang war. Chol Soo Lee, a 20-year-old Korean im...
Free Chol Soo Lee is a Documentary, Crime film with a runtime of 1h 23m.

CAST (20)

CS
Chol Soo Lee
Self (archive footage)
SY
Sebastian Yoon
Narrator (voice)
RY
Ranko Yamada
Self - Friend; Defense Committee
KL
K.W. Lee
Self - Investigative Reporter
Jeff Adachi
Jeff Adachi
Self - Activist
DK
David Kakishiba
Self - Activist
JK
Jay Kun Yoo
Self - Chair, Defense Committee
GK
Grace Kim
Self - Vice-chair, Defense Committee
WF
Warren Furutani
Self - L.A. Defense Committee
Leonard Weinglass
Leonard Weinglass
Self - Defense Attorney (archive footage)
Josiah “Tink” Thompson
Self - Private Investigator
GW
Gail Whang
Self - Bay Area Defense Committee
JL
Jai Lee Wong
Self - L.A. Defense Committee
MS
Mike Suzuki
Self - Bay Area Defense Committee
MY
Me Yea Lee
Self - Mother of Chol Soo Lee (archive footage)
LT
Leonard Tauman
Self - Defense Attorney (archive footage)
TS
Tony Serra
Self - Defense Attorney
SH
Stuart Hanlon
Self - Defense Attorney (archive footage)
FF
Frank Falzon
Self - San Francisco Police Dept. (archive footage)
SG
Sandra Gin
Self - Reporter (archive footage)

BOX OFFICE

$50K
Revenue

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
83 min (1h 23m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
7.3/10 (13 votes)
Popularity
3
Box Office
$50,083

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Free Chol Soo Lee about?
On June 3, 1973, a man was murdered in a busy intersection of San Francisco’s Chinatown as part of an ongoing gang war. Chol Soo Lee, a 20-year-old Korean immigrant who had previous run-ins with the law, was arrested and convicted based on flimsy evidence and the eyewitness accounts of white tourists who couldn’t distinguish between Asian features. Sentenced to life in prison, Chol Soo Lee would spend years fighting to survive behind bars before journalist K.W. Lee took an interest in his case. The intrepid reporter’s investigation would galvanize a first-of-its-kind pan-Asian American grassroots movement to fight for Chol Soo Lee’s freedom, ultimately inspiring a new generation of social justice activists.
How long is Free Chol Soo Lee?
Free Chol Soo Lee has a runtime of 83 minutes (1h 23m).
Who stars in Free Chol Soo Lee?
The cast of Free Chol Soo Lee includes Chol Soo Lee, Sebastian Yoon, Ranko Yamada, K.W. Lee, Jeff Adachi.
How much did Free Chol Soo Lee make at the box office?
Free Chol Soo Lee earned $50,083 worldwide at the box office.
What is the rating of Free Chol Soo Lee?
Free Chol Soo Lee has a rating of 7.3 out of 10 based on 13 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (2)

Documentary Crime
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