Best South Korean Directors
South Korean film industry is one of the top 5 film industries in the whole world! It is astonishing and beautiful because of great actors, great actresses and, of course, because of brilliant and visionary directors & screenwriters.
I listed 45 names here, most of them also being screenwriters. The first six listed here are among the 100 directors of all time and I think my conclusions are objective!
My basic criterion was that they must have made at least 2 great (or very good) films, and the majority of them have made even more than two.
My other lists:
Best South Korean Actors
Most Handsome South Korean Actors
Most Prettiest South Korean Actresses
Best South Korean Actresses
I listed 45 names here, most of them also being screenwriters. The first six listed here are among the 100 directors of all time and I think my conclusions are objective!
My basic criterion was that they must have made at least 2 great (or very good) films, and the majority of them have made even more than two.
My other lists:
Best South Korean Actors
Most Handsome South Korean Actors
Most Prettiest South Korean Actresses
Best South Korean Actresses
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- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Park Chan-wook was born on 23 August 1963 in Seoul, South Korea. He is a producer and writer, known for Oldboy (2003), The Handmaiden (2016) and Decision to Leave (2022). He is married to Eun-hee Kim. They have one child.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Bong Joon-ho is a South Korean filmmaker. The recipient of three Academy Awards, his filmography is characterized by emphasis on social themes, genre-mixing, black humor, and sudden tone shifts. He first became known to audiences and achieved a cult following with his directorial debut film, the black comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000), before achieving both critical and commercial success with his subsequent films: the crime thriller Memories of Murder (2003), the monster film The Host (2006), the science fiction action film Snowpiercer (2013), and the black comedy thriller Parasite (2019), all of which are among the highest-grossing films in South Korea, with Parasite also being the highest-grossing South Korean film in history.
All of Bong's films have been South Korean productions, although both Snowpiercer and Okja (2017) are mostly in the English language. Two of his films have screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival-Okja in 2017 and Parasite in 2019; the latter earned the Palme d'Or, which was a first for a South Korean film. Parasite also became the first South Korean film to receive Academy Award nominations, with Bong winning Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, making Parasite the first film not in English to win Best Picture. In 2017, Bong was included on Metacritic's list of the 25 best film directors of the 21st century. In 2020, Bong was included in Time's annual list of 100 Most Influential People and Bloomberg 50.- Writer
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He studied fine arts in Paris in 1990-1992. In 1993 he won the award for Best Screenplay from the Educational Institute of Screenwriting with "A Painter and A Criminal Condemned to Death". After two more screenplay awards, he made his directorial debut with Crocodile (1996) ("Crocodile"). Then he went on to direct Wild Animals (1997) ("Wild Animals"), Birdcage Inn (1998) ("Birdcage Inn"), The Isle (2000) ("The Isle") and the highly experimental Real Fiction (2000) ("Real Fiction"), shot in just 200 minutes. In 1999, Address Unknown (2001) ("Address Unknown") was selected by the Pusan Film Festival's Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) for development.- Director
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Kim Ji-woon was born in Seoul, South Korea. He began his career as an actor before becoming a stage director with productions such as "Hot Sea" in 1994 and "Movie, Movie" in 1995. He then began scripting for films, his first work, 97's "Wonderful Seasons" won Best Screenplay award at Korea's Premier Scenario contest, whilst his follow up The Quiet Family (1998) became not only his directorial debut, but also the source material for Takashi Miike's remake The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001) in 2001.
With an official selection at the Berlin International Film Festival and Best Film award at the Fantasport Film Festival for "A Quiet Family", his next film, 2000's The Foul King (2000), was an instant domestic hit, maintaining the #1 spot for over 6 months, with over 2 million admissions, it was also a worldwide festival crowd-pleaser. The short Coming Out (2000) and his contribution to 3 Extremes II (2002) (alongside segments from Peter Ho-Sun Chan and Nonzee Nimibutr) followed and then he made the 2003 horror A Tale of Two Sisters (2003).
He is a fan of film-noir and claims that many of his films contain elements of noir, often mixed with black comedy. His movie A Bittersweet Life (2005) his full on film-noir gangster thriller masterwork.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Lee Chang-Dong was born in 1954 in Daegu, which some consider the most right-wing city in South Korea. Lee is a former high-school teacher and an acclaimed novelist. He turned to cinema when he was over 40 years old. His debut film "Green Fish" (1997) brought immediate success and critical acclaim. "Peppermint Candy" (2000), seemingly having the same 'lost innocence' theme as his former work, shoots fiery criticisms against the still-powerful remnants of the Korean military dictatorship regime. With "Oasis" (2002) Lee received countless awards, including the Special Director's Award at the Venice Film Festival. Since 2003, Lee worked as the Minister of Culture in the newly elected liberal national government.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Jae-young Kwak was born on 22 May 1959 in South Korea. He is a writer and director, known for My Sassy Girl (2001), Cyborg She (2008) and Mu-rim-yeo-dae-saeng (2008).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Na Hong-jin born in 1974 is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. His debut film The Chaser (2008) won Best Director at the 45th Grand Bell Awards in 2008. The film also won the award for Best Film. His follow up film, The Yellow Sea, was released in South Korea on December 15, 2010. It is scheduled to be screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.- Director
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Born in Changsong, Cheollanam-do, 2 May 1936. He grew up in the southern city Kwangju, where he completed senior high school. His family suffered considerable hardships and losses in the Korean War, so he had to move to Pusan in search of work: he was a labourer before trying to start a business recycling US Army boots into shoes. He moved to Seoul in 1956, where a film director Chung Chang-Hwa offered him work as a production assistant in exchange for room and board. Five years later Chung recommended him as a director, and he completed his first feature in 1962. He was a prolific director of films in various popular genres until the late 1970s but felt a deepening urge to make more serious films that first found in outlet in his 1978 film, Genealogy (1979) (Genealogy). Since 1981's Mandala (1981), he has been considered Korea's leading director. He and his films have won every possible prize in Korea's three annual film awards ceremonies, and a growing number of international festival prizes too. His film Sopyonje (1993) (is the most honoured Korean film ever made, with (to date) 27 domestic and three international prizes; it was also an enormous success in the Korean market.- Producer
- Director
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Shin alleged that he and his wife were kidnapped from their native South Korea in the late 1970s and held for several years in North Korea to make movies for Kim Jong Il, son of the N. Korean leader. Shin Sang-ok sought asylum in the United States in 1986 shortly before the film "Pulgasary" was finished. The couple were granted refuge in the United States.- Director
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Ha Yoo is known for A Dirty Carnival (2006), A Frozen Flower (2008) and Once Upon a Time in High School: The Spirit of Jeet Kune Do (2004).- Director
- Editor
- Producer
Yu Hyun-mok was born on 2 July 1925 in Sariwon, Hwanghae Province, North Korea. Yu was a director and editor, known for Eommawa byeolgwa malmijal (1995), Salamui adeul (1980) and Ilheobeolin cheongchun (1957). Yu died on 28 June 2009 in Ilsan, South Korea.- Director
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- Producer
Kim Ki-young was born on 10 October 1919 in Seoul, Korea. He was a director and writer, known for Goryeojang (1963), A Defiance of Teenager (1959) and The Asphalt Pavement (1964). He was married to Yu-bong Kim. He died on 5 February 1998 in Seoul, South Korea.- Director
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- Producer
Lee Doo-yong was born on 24 December 1942 in Seoul, South Korea. He was a director and writer, known for Cheongsongeuro ganeun kil (1990), Ppong (1986) and The Hut (1981). He died on 19 January 2024 in Seoul, South Korea.- Director
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- Actor
Ryoo Seung-wan entered the global spotlight with his 2005 film CRYING FIST, starring Choi Min-sik (OLD BOY) and his younger brother Ryoo Seung-bum. The film displayed the director's capability to break traditional genre boundaries, and won him the FIPRESCI Prize at the 58th Cannes Film Festival and Best Director at the 2005 Busan Film Critics Association. Before and after CRYING FIST, his films DIE BAD and CITY OF VIOLENCE firmly established Ryoo as a master director of the action genre. THE UNJUST (2010), a tale of corruption among policemen and prosecutors, became a box office hit with more than 2.7M admissions, landing it on that year's top ten Korea box office list. In 2015, Ryoo wrote and directed an action-comedy film titled VETERAN. The film was a mega success both critically and commercially, earning $94M with a modest budget of $7.5M - the 5th all-time highest-grossing local film in Korean cinema history. Ryoo currently wrapped on his next film MOGADISHU, based on a true story set in the late 1980s as North and South Korea face an impasse over their campaigns to join the United Nations. The international blockbuster film is set to release in the summer of 2020. Ryoo is also a prolific and successful producer of many hit Korean films, through his production Filmmakers R&K.- Director
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- Producer
Hong Sang-soo was born on 25 October 1960 in Seoul, Korea. He is a director and writer, known for Right Now, Wrong Then (2015), Night and Day (2008) and The Woman Who Ran (2020).- Director
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hun Jang was born on 4 May 1975 in South Korea. He is a director and writer, known for A Taxi Driver (2017), Rough Cut (2008) and The Front Line (2011).- Writer
- Producer
- Director
- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Kang Woo-suk was born on 10 November 1960 in Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsan, South Korea. Kang is a producer and director, known for Silmido (2003), Moss (2010) and Two Cops (1993).- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Director Je-Kyu Kang was born in South Korea. Before directing his hit film Shiri (1999) pronounced "Shee Rhee", Kang nearly gave up the film business. After struggling for many years, he has finally become one of the premier directors in South Korea.- Director
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- Producer
Han-min Kim is known for Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022), The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014) and War of the Arrows (2011).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Park Hoon-jung, born in 1975, is a South Korean film director. Park first attracted notice within the Korean film industry for writing the screenplays for I Saw the Devil (2010). He made his debut as a director in 2011 with the period film The Showdown (2011). With his second film, gangster epic New World (2013), Park scored a critical and commercial success.- Director
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- Producer
Lee Han was born in 1970 in South Korea. Lee is a director and writer, known for Punch (2011), A Melody to Remember (2016) and Innocent Witness (2019).- Director
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Born in 1963 in Jeonju, South Korea, Jin-ho Hur graduated from the Korean Academy of Film Arts. His first steps as a film director did not go unnoticed as his first short, 'For Kochal", was selected for The Vancouver International Film Festival. He later co-wrote the script of "A Single Spark" and "Kilimanjaro". All his feature films,"Christmas in August" (shown at the Crtics'Week in Cannes in 1998), "One Fine Spring Day (2001), "April Snow" (2005), "Once Again in Hengback" (2007) and Good Rain Knows" (2009) are variations on Jin-ho Hur's favorite theme: love.- Director
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- Editor
John H. Lee's films are imbued with top-notch cosmopolitan sensibilities. He has become one of the most sought after directors in all of East Asia and is a member of the rising generation of international directors from the region, having both a distinct voice as an auteur and wide commercial appeal with diverse genres of films. Born in Seoul, Korea, Lee moved to the U.S. at the age of 12. Upon graduating from the film school at New York University, Lee made his feature debut with "The Cut Runs Deep," a poetic independent film about East Asian youth gangs in New York City. After running the festival circuit around the world, "The Cut Runs Deep" was released in Korea in 2000 and instantly became a cult classic.
Since his successful debut, Lee has directed numerous international music videos and T.V. commercials in East Asia and Europe, eventually opting to move his residence back to Seoul in search of his spiritual roots. In 2004, Lee directed his second feature film, a love story, entitled, "A Moment to Remember". It was Lee's first Korean-language film; a passionate, psychologically complex, and emotionally charged story about a man and a woman, two star-crossed lovers, separated by the slow loss of the woman's memory. "A Moment to Remember" instantly became the highest grossing domestic film in the romance genre in the history of Korean cinema. Subsequently released in Japan the following year, "A Moment to Remember" has become the most successful Korean film ever in Japan, a record that still stands. "A Moment to Remember" is considered by many to be a romance masterpiece, standing above all other romantic films in East Asia.
After a long search for projects to expand his horizons, John H. Lee next took on an experimental challenge, his third feature film, titled "Sayonara Itsuka," based on a Japanese novel of the same title. It was wildly innovative in that he made a flawless Japanese-language film with top Japanese actors, utilizing the best Korean film crew. Some thought it couldn't be done, or at least, couldn't be done well. Lee didn't speak Japanese, and the production proved to be very arduous and difficult in every aspect, but when the movie was finally released in Japan in 2010, it blew the audience away with a passionate telling of a lost love that spans 25 years. The Japanese audiences were shocked by the beauty and scale of the film, and it was yet another critical box office hit in Japan.
For his fourth opus, John H. Lee took another surprise turn. It was a historical Korean War epic, titled "71/ Into the Fire," based on a true story about a group of 71 student soldiers fighting to protect a school during the outset of the "forgotten" Korean War in 1950.
Lee took another step towards a new frontier when he accepted an invitation to helm a Chinese film, "The Third Way of Love", based on a best-selling novel in China, a love story between a wealthy corporate heir and a beautiful, but recently divorced lawyer.
Lee also recently saw box office success in Korea with "Operation Chromite", a true story about an intel-warfare between South and North Korea during Korean War. Aside from starring A-list Korean actors such as Lee Jung Jae and Lee Bum Soo, "Operation Chromite" also received lots of attention for being the first Korean film to cast an A-list Hollywood actor in a prominent role. Liam Neeson delivers powerfully as General Douglas MacArthur in this intense film about the military operation that was decisive in turning the tide of the Korean War.
John H. Lee is represented by C.A.A.- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Lee Joon-ik was born on 21 September 1959 in Seoul, Korea. He is a director and producer, known for Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet (2016), The Throne (2015) and Anarchist from Colony (2017).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Song Il-gon was born on 1 January 1971 in Seoul, South Korea. He is a director and writer, known for Flower Island (2001), So-poong (1999) and Spider Forest (2004).- Director
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hae-sung Song was born on 11 October 1964 in Seoul, South Korea. He is a director and writer, known for Failan (2001), Rikidozan: A Hero Extraordinary (2004) and Boomerang Family (2013).- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Yoon-Chul Jung is known for Marathon (2005), A Man Who Was Superman (2008) and Warriors of the Dawn (2017).- Director
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- Producer
Yeon Sang-Ho is a South Korean director, and a screen writer, he was born in Seoul in 1978. He is graduated from Sangmyung University with a degree of Western Painting. He directed few short films as well Megalomania of D in 1997, followed by D-Day in 2000 and The Hell in 2003, then set up his own production house Studio Dadashow in 2004. Yeon Sang Ho known for directing a animated film such as The King of Pigs, The Window, The Fake, and his latest animated film is in 2016 called Seoul Station. Yeon Sang-Ho raise to prominence in 2016 after releasing his first live action movie in Cannes Film Festival 2016, his first live action movie is Train to Busan, that starring Gong Yoo, Jung Yumi, Ma Dong Seok, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee, and Kim Su-an. The movie is the sequel of his animated film Seoul Station, and both releasing in 2016, the movie gained a lot of attention from South Korea, and internationally, because he choose the genre that not a lot of South Korean director choose which is the zombie flick. The movie was screened at the Midnight Screening at Cannes Festival, the movie was rumored to be remake with by the Hollywood production, Train to Busan is the first South Korean movie that gained 10 millions theatergoers in South Korea, and the number is still counting. Yeon Sang-Ho sometimes created his movie based on his own personal life as well. For example the The King of Pigs, he said that he was inspired by his own life experience, and he cried during the writing time of the script, The Window is based on his life during his mandatory military service.- Writer
- Director
Hwan-kyung Lee is known for Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013), The Guy Was Cool (2004) and Gakseoltang (2006).- Writer
- Director
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Yong-hwa Kim is known for Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017), Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018) and Take Off (2009).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Yoon-ki Lee is known for Yeoja, Jeong-hye (2004), My Dear Enemy (2008) and Aju teukbyeolhan sonnim (2006).- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
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- Actor
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Lee Jeong-beom is known for The Man from Nowhere (2010), Cruel Winter Blues (2006) and Doraemon: Nobita's Chronicle of the Moon Exploration (2019).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Kim Sung-su was born on 15 November 1961 in Seoul, South Korea. Kim is a director and writer, known for Asura (2016), The Warrior (2001) and 12.12: The Day (2023).- Director
- Writer
Yun-ho Yang was born on 11 November 1966 in South Korea. He is a director and writer, known for Fighter in the Wind (2004), Yuri (1996) and Libera me (2000).- Director
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- Producer
Tae-gyun Kim was born on 17 June 1960 in South Korea. He is a director and writer, known for A Barefoot Dream (2010), Higanjima: Escape from Vampire Island (2009) and Neukdaeui yuhok (2004).- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Im Sang-soo was born on 27 April 1962 in Seoul, South Korea. He is a director and writer, known for The Housemaid (2010), A Good Lawyer's Wife (2003) and The Old Garden (2006).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Hyun-seung Lee was born on 18 August 1961 in Seoul, South Korea. Hyun-seung is a director and writer, known for The Blue in You (1992), Hindsight (2011) and If You Were Me 4 (2009).- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Dong-hoon Choi was born in 1971 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, South Korea. He is a director and writer, known for Assassination (2015), The Thieves (2012) and The Big Swindle (2004).- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Pang Eun-jin was born on 5 August 1965 in Seoul, Korea. She is an actress and director, known for Princess Aurora (2005), 301, 302 (1995) and Address Unknown (2001).- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Jang Sun-woo was born on 20 March 1952 in Seoul, South Korea. He is a director and writer, known for Passage to Buddha (1993).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Soo-il Jeon was born on 20 July 1959 in Sokcho, Kang-won-do, South Korea. He is a writer and director, known for Geomen tangyi sonyeo oi (2007), Saeneun pyegoksuneul keruinda (1999) and With a Girl of Himalaya (2008).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Pil-sung Yim is known for Hansel and Gretel (2007), Doomsday Book (2012) and Antarctic Journal (2005).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Jung Byung-gil gained international recognition with his action thriller THE VILLAINESS, which premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. While THE VILLAINESS may have gained him international acclaim, he was already a rising filmmaker in his home country of Korea. His directorial debut, a documentary about stuntmen titled ACTION BOYS earned Jung multiple awards including Best Independent Film Director at the 11th Director's Cut Awards; the Audience Award and CGV Korean Independent Feature Distribution Award at the 9th Jeonju International Film Festival; and the Best Independent Film Award at the 6th Max Movie Awards. His film CONFESSION OF MURDER was also a critical success earning him Best Screenplay at the 49th Baeksang Arts Awards and Best New Director at the 50th Grand Bell Awards.
Recently, Skybound Entertainment and Amazon Studios has partnered with Next Entertainment World to remake THE VILLAINESS as a scripted TV series in which Jung Byung-gil will reprise his role as Director with actress Pom Klementieff attached.- Director
- Writer
Park Jin-Pyo was born in 1966 in Seoul, South Korea. He is a director and writer, known for Jukeodo joha (2002), You Are My Sunshine (2005) and Voice of a Murderer (2007).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Kyung-taek Kwak was born on 23 May 1966 in Pusan, South Korea. Kyung-taek is a director and writer, known for Friend (2001), A Love (2007) and The Classified File (2015).- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Joon-Hwan Jang was born on 18 January 1970 in Jeonju, Korea. He is a director and writer, known for Save the Green Planet! (2003), 1987: When the Day Comes (2017) and Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013). He has been married to Moon So-ri since 24 December 2006. They have one child.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Lee Jang-ho was born on 15 May 1945 in Seoul, Korea. Lee is a director and producer, known for The Man with Three Coffins (1987), A Fine, Windy Day (1980) and Declaration of Fools (1983).- Director
- Producer
- Editor
So Yong Kim was born in 1968 in Pusan, South Korea. So Yong is a director and producer, known for Treeless Mountain (2008), In Between Days (2006) and For Ellen (2012).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Soon-rye Yim was born on 5 December 1960 in Inchon, South Korea. She is a director and writer, known for Waikiki Brothers (2001), Three Friends (1996) and Forever the Moment (2008).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Won Shin-yeon was born on 23 October 1969. Won is a director and writer, known for Memoir of a Murderer (2017), The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019) and Seven Days (2007).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Yeon-Shick Shin is known for The Russian Novel (2012), Romans 8:37 (2017) and Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet (2016).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Yoon Jong-bin was born on 20 December 1979. He is a director and writer, known for The Spy Gone North (2018), Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (2012) and The Unforgiven (2005).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Jin Jang was born in 1971 in Seoul, Korea. He is a writer and director, known for Someone Special (2004), Welcome to Dongmakgol (2005) and Baksu-chiltae deonara (2005).- Director
- Writer
- Director
- Additional Crew
In-ho Yun was born on 21 March 1960 in Pusan, South Korea. He is a director, known for Mayonnaise (1999), The Devil's Game (2008) and Barricade (1997).- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Kim Tae-yong was born on 9 December 1969 in Seoul, South Korea. He is a director and actor, known for Gajokeui tansaeng (2006), Late Autumn (2010) and Mad Sad Bad (2014). He has been married to Tang Wei since 12 July 2014.