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RYOO Seungwan
Executive Producer, Director, Screenwriter
Born in 1973, Ryoo Seungwan has been a fan of the no-holds-barred action of Hong Kong action cinema ever since his young age. He was such a fan of the Shaw Brothers and Jack Chan that not only did he take up taekwondo, but he also bought an 8mm camera after saving up for years. After the untimely loss of both his parents when he was still in middle school, Ryoo had to drop out of school to making a living as the young head of his family, doing all kinds of odd jobs. He eventu...More
Born in 1973, Ryoo Seungwan has been a fan of the no-holds-barred action of Hong Kong action cinema ever since his young age. He was such a fan of the Shaw Brothers and Jack Chan that not only did he take up taekwondo, but he also bought an 8mm camera after saving up for years. After the untimely loss of both his parents when he was still in middle school, Ryoo had to drop out of school to making a living as the young head of his family, doing all kinds of odd jobs. He eventually decided to enter a film workshop and met in 1993 a young Park Chanwook, who would quickly become a close friend. Through his contacts, he managed to work as the director of lighting on one of Bong Joonho’s earlier shorts, <Incoherence>. In 1996, Ryoo made his debut with the short <Transmutated Head> and then took part, as an assistant director and actor, in the film <Trio> (1997), from his friend Park. After his shorts <Rumble> and <Modern Man> respectively won Best Picture at the Busan International Short Film Festival and the Seoul Independent Film Festival, he was offered the opportunity to release an anthology movie made of the two winning films along with two other that he would make for the occasion. Ultimately produced with less than USD 100,000, it was released in 2000 under the title <Die Bad> and was immediately lauded by the critics, who saw in this work all the buoyant energy of amateur films but with the skills of a professional filmmaker to sustain it. Since taking the Korean film scene by storm, Ryoo has been making noteworthy films in the action and thriller genre such as <No Blood No Tears> (2001), <Arahan> (2004), <Crying Fist> (2004), <City of Violence> (2006) and <Dachimawa Lee> (2007), earning the nickname of “Action Kid of the Korean Film Industry”. Ryoo’s pulpy crime thrillers can be characterized by his hard-edged, innovative style with an emphasis on lavishing action sequences. His 2010 film, <The Unjust>, a crime drama that took a sharp observation into corruption in privileged classes of the modern Korean society was met with both critical and commercial success garnering 2.8 million admissions. Three years later, Ryoo was back with <The Berlin File> (2012), a story of four operatives from divided Korea leading clandestine and dangerous lives under covert identities in the German capital. In 2014, Ryoo took part in the 3D horror omnibus <MAD SAD BAD>, which opened the Jeonju International Film Festival in 2014, and filmed his noirish detective thriller <Veteran>, re-teaming with HWANG Jung-min. The latter achieved the biggest commercial success to date for Ryoo, with more than 13 million admissions upon its release in 2015. Next for him was a more ambitious project in terms of scale, with the historical drama <The Battleship Island> (2017) which tells the story of a group of Koreans in their attempt to escape the infamous island of Hashima where the Japanese forced submitted them to forced labor. He then took a back seat to focus on his role as a producer at Filmmaker R & K and worked in such capacities on the occult thriller <SVAHA: THE SIXTH FINGER> (2018) and the disaster comedy <EXIT> (2019). In 2021, Ryoo was back in the director’s chair for <Escape from Mogadishu>, which represented a new challenge for the director as it was entirely shot outside of Korea, in Morocco.Less
Gender | Male | Nationality | South Korea |
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Company | Filmmaker R & K | Website | http://filmrnk.com |
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Escape from Mogadishu, Won the Best Film at the 42nd Fantasporto International Film Festival Apr 15, 2022Director Ryoo Seungwan's Escape from Mogadishu won the Best Film in the Asian Film Section at the 42nd Fantasporto International Film Festival in Portugal. At the festival, which closed on April 10 (local time), Escape from Mogadishu won the Best Orient Express Film.Against the backdrop of a civil war in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1991, Escape from Mogadishu depicts a life-and-death escape by Sout...
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Florence Korea Film Fest, which introduces Korean films throughout Europe and Italy, will be held from April 7 to 15 (local time). Marking its 20th anniversary this year, the festival will attract Italian and European audiences with its special programs.First, the opening film is Heaven: To the Land of Happiness, directed by Im Sangsoo, starring Choi Minshik and Park Haeil. Heaven: To the Land of ...
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Lotte and Dexter Studios Forge NFT Partnership Mar 15, 2022Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017)Lotte Cultureworks and Dexter Studios have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enter into a strategic partnership for the joint production and distribution of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) based on their intellectual property.Lotte, an entertainment giant in Korea that is one of the major financiers and distributors of Korean films and also runs one...
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Escape from Mogadishu, Heading for the Oscars Dec 20, 2021Director Ryoo Seungwan's Escape from Mogadishuis the main character that will create the ‘Korea Syndrome’ for the third consecutive year at the Oscars. KOFIC (Korean Film Council) selected Escape from Mogadishuas the representative film in 2021 Korea and the country’s entry for the best international feature film category of the 94th Academy Awards. The judges of Korean film entries said, "...
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Blockbuster director RYOO Seung-wan held a Master Class at the Beijing Film Academy on December 1. Co-hosted by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) and China’s Beijing Film Academy, the master class gave Chinese film students and filmmakers the opportunity to learn more about Korean culture and cinema. During the master class, RYOO discussed his career and answered the questions from the audience. He ...
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Korean Academy of Film Arts Holds ‘3D, Once Again' Jul 16, 2015The Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairman: KIM Sae-hoon) will open ‘3D, Once Again’ during the 19th Bucheon Internation Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan). It is time to look back at the achievements made in 3D film production projects during the past three years which KAFA has been making progress since 2012. Also it served as a meeting place to review variou...
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Korean Box Office Awaits Launch of Chuseok TitlesWith no major new releases, business slowed, and holdovers led the charts over the past weekend as distributors and theaters await the coming Chuseok holiday. Business was down 30% week-on-week to 608,000 admissions, with local titles claiming 36% of the market.Remaining in the top for its second weekend was Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings...
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Local Films Await Chuseok Holidays in Mid-SeptemberAfter dominating the summer holiday season, local films are taking a brief break in early September, as they await the Chuseok holidays later in the month. This opened the door for Hollywood to rule the roost, and the latest film from Marvel claimed yet another first-place debut for the hit studio. The business was up 20% as 934,000 tickets were s...
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ESCAPE FROM MOGADISHU Becomes Top-Grossing Film of the YearWith no hot new release driving sales, business slowed about 30% over the past weekend, with 768,000 admissions recorded over the last weekend in August. Local holdovers led the way and kept the local market share high at 87%.The Hwang Jungmin vehicle Hostage: Missing Celebrity remained in the top spot, clinching 285,000 sales (USD 2.48 mi...
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Udine Far East Film Festival (2022) - Best of the Best
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Fajr International Film Festival ()
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Florence Korea Film Fest (2022)
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Fantas Porto - Oporto International Film Festival (2022)
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Fantas Porto - Oporto International Film Festival (2022)
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Fribourg International Film Festival (2022)
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Audi Dublin International Film Festval (2022)
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<Escape from Mogadishu> New Zealand International Film Festival (2021)
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Frankfurt Korean Film Festival (2021) - Opening Film
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<Escape from Mogadishu> New York Asian Film Festival (2021) - Opening Film
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Asian Film Festival of Dallas (2021)
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Jeju Film Festival (2021)
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<Escape from Mogadishu> Palm Springs International Film Festival () - Awards Buzz – Best International Feature Film - Local Jury Award
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<The Battleship Island: Director's Cut> Geumgang History Film Festival (2019)
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<> Muju Film Festival : MJFF (2019) - Contemporary Panorama
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<The Battleship Island> Fribourg International Film Festival (2018) - Midnight Screenings
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<The Battleship Island> Fribourg International Film Festival (2018) - Genre Cinema: Biopics
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<The Battleship Island> Beijing International Film Festival (2018) - Horizon
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<Veteran> Udine Far East Film Festival (2018) - Focus on RYOO SEUNG-WAN
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<The Battleship Island> Udine Far East Film Festival (2018) - Focus on RYOO SEUNG-WAN - Audience Award
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<The Battleship Island> Udine Far East Film Festival (2018) - Competition
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<The Battleship Island> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2017) - Best Music
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<The Battleship Island> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2017) - Best Art Direction
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<The Battleship Island> The Blue Dragon Awards (2017) - Popularity Award
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<The Battleship Island> The Blue Dragon Awards (2017) - Best Art Direction
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<The Battleship Island> The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (2017) - Technical Award
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<The Battleship Island> The Seoul Awards (2017) - Best Supporting Actress
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<The Battleship Island> The Seoul Awards (2017) - Special Award
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<The Battleship Island> SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia (2017) - Orbita - Official Fantastic In-Competition Orbita Best Motion Picture
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<The Battleship Island> Filmasia Film Festival (2017)
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<The Battleship Island> Mar del Plata International Film Festival (2017) - Focus and Retrospectives
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<Die Bad> Mar del Plata International Film Festival (2017) - Focus and Retrospectives
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<Die Bad> London Korean Film Festival (2017) - Special Focus: Korean Noir, Illuminating the Dark Side of Society
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<The Battleship Island> Asian World Film Festival (2017) - Official Selection
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<The Battleship Island> Paris Korean Film Festival (2017) - AVANT-PREMIÈRES
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<The Battleship Island> London East Asia Film Festival (2017) - Official LEAFF Selection
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<The Battleship Island> Frankfurt Korean Film Festival (2017)
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<The Battleship Island> Buil Film Awards (2017)
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<The Battleship Island> Buil Film Awards (2017)
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<The Battleship Island> Busan International Film Festival : BIFF (2017) - Korean Cinema Today
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<No Blood No Tears> Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival : BIFAN (2017) - Special Programs
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<Veteran> Shanghai International Film & TV Festival (2016) - Panorama - Korean Films2
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<Veteran> Paeksang Arts Awards (2016) - Film Awards - Best Director
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<Veteran> Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival : BIFAN (2016) - Special Programs - Best of Asia
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<Veteran> Korean Film Festival in Australia (2016)
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<Veteran> Buenos Aires Korean Film Festival (2016)
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<Veteran> Buil Film Awards (2016)
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<Veteran> Buil Film Awards (2016)
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<Veteran> Black Movie Festival (2016) - Polar tout en muscle
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<Veteran> Belgrade International Film Festival (2016) - Thrills & kills
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<Veteran> Florence Korea Film Fest (2016) - Ryoo Seung-wan Retrospettiva
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<The Berlin File> Florence Korea Film Fest (2016) - Ryoo Seung-wan Retrospettiva
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<The City of Violence> Florence Korea Film Fest (2016) - Ryoo Seung-wan Retrospettiva
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<Crying Fist> Florence Korea Film Fest (2016) - Ryoo Seung-wan Retrospettiva
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<Arahan> Florence Korea Film Fest (2016) - Ryoo Seung-wan Retrospettiva
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<Dachimawa Lee> Florence Korea Film Fest (2016) - Ryoo Seung-wan Retrospettiva
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<No Blood No Tears> Florence Korea Film Fest (2016) - Ryoo Seung-wan Retrospettiva
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<The Unjust> Florence Korea Film Fest (2016) - Ryoo Seung-wan Retrospettiva
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<Die Bad> Florence Korea Film Fest (2016) - Ryoo Seung-wan Retrospettiva
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<Veteran> Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (2016) - Thriller Competition
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<Die Bad> Jeonju International Film Festival : JIFF (2016) - Closing Film - Digital Remastering
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<Veteran> Imagine Film Festival (2016) - Audience Opening Film
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<The Unjust> Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (2016) - Official Selection
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<No Blood No Tears> Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (2016) - Retro
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<Arahan> Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (2016) - Retro
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<Veteran> Korean Film Festival in Hungary (2016)
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<Veteran> Maxmovie Best Film Award (2016) - Best Supporting Actor
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<Veteran> Maxmovie Best Film Award (2016) - Best Actor
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<Veteran> Maxmovie Best Film Award (2016) - Best Director
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<Veteran> Maxmovie Best Film Award (2016) - Best Film
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<Veteran> Korea Gold Awards Festival (2016) - Best Actor
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<Veteran> Korea Gold Awards Festival (2016) - Gold Medal for Cinematography
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<Veteran> Shanghai International Film & TV Festival (2016) - Jackie Chan Action Movie Week
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<MAD SAD BAD> Wildflower Film Awards Korea (2015) - Best New Actress
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<Veteran> SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia (2015) - Oficial Òrbita - Focus Àsia
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<Veteran> The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (2015) - Best Director
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<Veteran> The Blue Dragon Awards (2015) - Best Director
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<Veteran> Busan Film Critics Association Awards (2015) - Best Actor
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<Veteran> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2015) - Best Cinematography
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<Veteran> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2015) - Technical Award
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<Veteran> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2015) - Best Editing
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<Veteran> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2015) - Best Editing
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<Veteran> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2015) - Technical Award
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<Veteran> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2015) - Best Director
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<MAD SAD BAD> Florence Korea Film Fest (2015) - Independent Korea
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<MAD SAD BAD> Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival : BIFAN (2015) - KAFA+ Next D “3D, Once Again”
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<Veteran> Toronto International Film Festival (2015) - VANGUARD
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<Veteran> Busan International Film Festival : BIFF (2015) - Korean Cinema Today-Panorama
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<Veteran> London East Asia Film Festival (2015)
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<Veteran> Paris Korean Film Festival (2015) - Opening Film
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<MAD SAD BAD> Jeonju International Film Festival : JIFF (2014) - Opening Film
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<Die Bad> Seoul Independent Film Festival : SIFF (2014)
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<MAD SAD BAD> SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia (2014) - Focus Àsia - Best Feature Length Film Award
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<MAD SAD BAD> Seoul Barrier Free Film Festival : SeBaFF (2014)
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<The Berlin File> Korean Film Festival in Hungary (2014)
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<The Berlin File> Women in Film Korea Festival (2013) - Technical Award
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<The Berlin File> Paeksang Arts Awards (2013) - Film Awards - Best Actor
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<The Berlin File> Filmasia Film Festival (2013)
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<The Berlin File> The Blue Dragon Awards (2013)
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<The Berlin File> The Blue Dragon Awards (2013)
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<The Berlin File> Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (2013) - Panorama
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<The Berlin File> Taoyuan Film Festival (2013) - Korean Wide Angle
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<The Berlin File> Buil Film Awards (2013)
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<The Berlin File> Buil Film Awards (2013)
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<The Berlin File> Busan International Film Festival : BIFF (2013) - Korean Cinema Today: Panorama
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<The Berlin File> Helsinki International Film Festival - Love & Anarchy (2013)
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<The Berlin File> Korean Film Festival in Australia (2013) - Crime and Punishment
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<The Berlin File> Asian Film Festival of Dallas (2013)
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<The Berlin File> Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival (2013) - New cinema from asia
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<Arahan> New York Asian Film Festival (2013)
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<The Berlin File> New York Asian Film Festival (2013)
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<The Berlin File> Edinburgh International Film Festival (2013) - Focus on Korea
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<The Berlin File> Terracotta Far East Film Festival (2013) - Current Asian Cinema
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<The Berlin File> Udine Far East Film Festival (2013) - Competition
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<The Berlin File> Hong Kong International Film Festival (2013) - Gala Presentation
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<Arahan> Atlanta Korean Film Festival (AKFF) (2012)
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<The Unjust> Korean Film Festival DC (2012)
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<Crying Fist> New York Asian Film Festival (2012)
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<The Unjust> Shanghai International Film & TV Festival (2011) - Spectrum
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<The Unjust> Udine Far East Film Festival (2011) - South Korea
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<The Unjust> Asian Film Awards (2011) - Best Screenplay
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<The Unjust> Hong Kong International Film Festival (2011) - World Cinema- Gala Presentation
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<The Unjust> Berlin International Film Festival (2011) - Panorama
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<The Unjust> International Film Festival Rotterdam (2011) - Panorama
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<The Unjust> Helsinki International Film Festival - Love & Anarchy (2011) - Asian Cuts
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<The Unjust> OzAsia Festival (2011)
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<The Unjust> Melbourne International Film Festival (2011) - Accent on Asia
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<The Unjust> Buil Film Awards (2011)
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<The Unjust> SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia (2011) - Panorama - Casa Asia - Casa Asia
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<The Unjust> The Blue Dragon Awards (2011) - Best Screenplay
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<The Unjust> The Blue Dragon Awards (2011) - Best Film
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<The City of Violence> New York Asian Film Festival (2011) - The Korean Line-Up
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<The Unjust> The Blue Dragon Awards (2011) - Best Director
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<The Unjust> New York Asian Film Festival (2011) - Sea of Revenge: New Korean Thrillers
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<The Unjust> Fantasia International Film Festival (2011) - Feature Film
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<The Unjust> Director's Cut Awards (2010) - Best Director
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<Dachimawa Lee> Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival (2009) - PIFAN Special Presentation
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<Dachimawa Lee> New York Asian Film Festival (2009) - Feature
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<Crying Fist> Marrakech International Film Festival (2009) - Tribute to South Korean Cinema
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<Dachimawa Lee> Asia Filmfest (2008) - S?dkorea 2008
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<Crying Fist> Lyon Asian Film Festival (2008) -
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<The City of Violence> Deauville Asian Film Festival (2007) - Action Asia
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<The City of Violence> New York Asian Film Festival (2007) - Feature Film Program
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<The City of Violence> Fantasia International Film Festival (2007)
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<Die Bad> Paris Cinema International Film Festival (2006) - New Korean Cinemas
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<Arahan> Silk Screen Asian American Festival (2006)
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<If You Were Me > Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (2006)
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<Crying Fist> Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival (2006) - Official Selection
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<Crying Fist> Cinema Novo Festival (2006) - Competition
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<If You Were Me > Lyon Asian Film Festival (2006) - LONGS METRAGES
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<The City of Violence> Stockholm International Film Festival (2006)
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<The City of Violence> Venice International Film Festival (2006) - Midnight
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<The City of Violence> KOREA FILM AWARD (2006) - Best Supporting Actor
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<The City of Violence> Chunsa Film Festival (2006) - Best Supporting Actor
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<Arahan> New York Asian Film Festival (2005)
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<Crying Fist> Cannes Film Festival (2005) - The 37th Directors' Fortnight
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<Arahan> Udine Far East Film Festival (2005) - Main Program
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<Arahan> Philadelphia Film Festival (2005) - Danger After Dark
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<Arahan> Istanbul Film Festival (2005) - Korean Cinema
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<Arahan> Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (2005) - Official Selection/ Children Allowed
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<Arahan> Deauville Asian Film Festival (2005) - The
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<Arahan> Gerardmer International Fantastic Film Festival (2005) -
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<Arahan> Tromsø International Film Festival (2005) - Competition
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<Crying Fist> Busan Film Critics Association Awards (2005) - Best Supporting Actress
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<Crying Fist> DAEJONG FILM AWARDS (2005) - Best Supporting Actress
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<Crying Fist> New York Asian Film Festival (2005)
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<Crying Fist> Stockholm International Film Festival (2005) - Asian Images
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<Crying Fist> Oslo International Film Festival (2005)
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<Crying Fist> MostraMundo The Moving Image Festival (2005)
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<Crying Fist> Busan International Film Festival : BIFF (2005) - Korean Panorama
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<Crying Fist> Hong Kong Asian Film Festival (2005) - Cineaste Delights
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<Crying Fist> San Diego Asian Film Festival (2005)
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<Crying Fist> Athens International Film + Video Festival (2005)
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<Crying Fist> the Tiger Eye Firecracker Showcase (2005) - Closing Film
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<No Blood No Tears> the Tiger Eye Firecracker Showcase (2005)
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<Crying Fist> Melbourne International Film Festival (2005) - Regional Focus
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<Arahan> Osian's - Cinefan, Festival of Asian & Arab Cinema (2005) - Panorama of Martial Arts
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<Crying Fist> Fantasia International Film Festival (2005) - Korean Cinema
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<Arahan> Fantasia International Film Festival (2005) - Korean Cinema
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<The City of Violence> Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (2005) - Another View
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<Crying Fist> Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (2005) - Another view
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<Arahan> Lund International Fantastic Film Festival (2004)
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<Arahan> Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival (2004) - Asian Competition
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<Arahan> Fantasy Filmfest (2004)
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<Arahan> Edinburgh International Film Festival (2004) - Late Night Romps
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<Arahan> Umea International Film Festival (2004)
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<Arahan> San Diego Asian Film Festival (2004)
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<Arahan> SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia (2004)
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<No Blood No Tears> Kaohsiung Film Festival (2003)
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<No Blood No Tears> Melbourne International Film Festival (2003)
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<No Blood No Tears> Cairo International Film Festival (2003)
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<No Blood No Tears> Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival (BAFICI) (2003)
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<No Blood No Tears> Udine Far East Film Festival (2003)
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<No Blood No Tears> Onedotzero 7 (2003)
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<No Blood No Tears> Seattle International Film Festival (2003)
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<Die Bad> Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival (BAFICI) (2001)
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<Die Bad> Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (2001)
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<Die Bad> Fantasia International Film Festival (2001)
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<Die Bad> Melbourne International Film Festival (2001)
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<Die Bad> DAEJONG FILM AWARDS (2001) - Best New Actor
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<Die Bad> International Film Festival Rotterdam (2001)
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<Die Bad> Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (2001)
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<Die Bad> Hong Kong International Film Festival (2001) - Asian Vision
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<Die Bad> Busan Film Critics Association Awards (2000)
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<Die Bad> The Blue Dragon Awards (2000) - Best New Director
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<Die Bad> TOKYO FILMeX (2000)
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<Die Bad> Jeongdongjin Independent Film Festival : JIFF (2000)