Article: 10 Most New Innovative Directors Of Korean

Global cinema has been really interested in Korean directors ever since their films are getting critically acclaimed, and they are winning at the international film festivals, many international filmmakers are trying to bring in Korean directors and are interested in collaborations. The South Korean film industry has been well settled internationally and the focus towards directors and appreciation has always been more, K-pop is an emerging field. Most of these films are displayed and well received in international market. Some of the directors that are marking their territory and making it huge are-

1. Kim Ki-Duk 

You can tell he has accomplished a lot in life with winning prizes from film festivals at Cannes, Berlin and Venice for his top-notch films like Samaritan Girl and 3-iron, the director has focussed so much on the beauty of his country in movies with light theme like Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. And Spring, all of which were released in 2003.

 

2. Park Chan-Wook

No everybody knows about the South Korean movie Oldboy which was also adapted in Hollywood and other languages, the international hit and acclaimed violent movie Oldboy was directed by Park Chan-wook, even Quentin Tarantino, one of the biggest and most acclaimed filmmaker out there is a huge fan.

 

3. Jay Jun

Director Jay Jun, was asked to direct a film based on the celebration and joy of completing 100 years od independence in Korea. The project was then named  “Korea is Alive” one of the biggest accomplishments for the director who said he was really proud of being able to make movies like these.

 

4. Kim Gun 

He was the director for Studio Paranoid, and he explained how important the acting part is, how natural acting can be seen in a different light on camera, and how he shot his project called Isolation of Icelands with no storyboard or scouting for actors  and how thrilling it was for him to shoot it.

 

5. Lee Hyun Ji 

Lee Hyun Ji is a director for the production Rocket, and she talks about how Korean film industry is different from the western industry and states that it is the culture that makes it different. The shiny neon street signs, the overpopulated streets and people in sight everywhere and trendy clothes, that’s what makes the entire vibe different.

 

6. Hong Sang-Soo 

Many people know him as the Woody Allen of Korea. Although it is a trend for South Korean directors to head to Hollywood to acclaimed internationally, it was Hong sang-soo who brought in a French actress for his project in Korea called “In another Country” which was released in 2012 whose main theme was slice of rural life and awkward conversations.

 

7. Im Sang Soo 

The master of controversies, has given one of his best performances in The President’s Last Bang released in 2005 which is a black comedy. Although the movie was full of  controversies and lawsuits by the Park family, stating the movies are less about politics but mostly focussed on sexual activities.

 

8. Lee Chang Dong 

This director cherry-picks his projects he has had only a handful of projects since his debut in 1997 with the film Green Fish, and the most recent one in 2010 named Poetry which talks about an Alzheimer patient, but his most critically acclaimed piece is Peppermint Candy, which deals with the serious themes of student uprisings and suicide.

 

9. Bong Joon-Ho 

Bong Joon-ho follows a theme of dark, meaningful pieces with intricate storyline. His most prized and famous work is the monster film, The Host. It was a smashing box office hit, and it is also a high budgeted movie, with the theme following giant lizards that appear in the Han river after the US Army decided to dump formaldehyde into Seoul’s main river.

 

10. Lee Sung Kyu

He is the Camera Operator and the part of the Drone Pilot team for the Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015, where they worked with the team when the parts were shot in Korea, increasing the fame of the team, this was a good way of promotion of Korea as well as a high budget. The teams showed that they are up-to-date with technology.