Almost all foreign filmmakers who visit Korea say they saw this movie. It is none other than PARK Chan-wook’s <Old Boy> (2003). Along with [KIM Ki-duk] and [HONG Sangsoo], PARK is one of the best-known Korean film directors in the international film festival circuit and among foreign filmmakers. His first two films failed to generate much market response, and he was not given an opportunity to direct for many years. His comeback came with the success of <Joint Sec...More

Almost all foreign filmmakers who visit Korea say they saw this movie. It is none other than PARK Chan-wook’s <Old Boy> (2003). Along with [KIM Ki-duk] and [HONG Sangsoo], PARK is one of the best-known Korean film directors in the international film festival circuit and among foreign filmmakers. His first two films failed to generate much market response, and he was not given an opportunity to direct for many years. His comeback came with the success of <Joint Security Area/JSA> (2001), a comical and touching story of a friendship between South and North Korean soldiers who were, otherwise, at war with each other. PARK’s movie career subsequently hit the fast track to stardom. Each installment of his vengeance trilogy, <Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance> (2002), <Old Boy>, and <Sympathy for Lady Vengeance> (2005) was a hit. <Old Boy>, in particular, created a sensation by winning the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, the most significant international award for any Korean movie up until that point. PARK also wrote books such as ‘PARK Chan-wook’s Montage,’ a collection of essays and critiques as a movie enthusiast. One of the rare directors loved in art circles and the film industry alike, PARK is so highly recognized that he is cast in many commercials. He is also the CEO of [Moho Film], which is producing [BONG Joon-ho]’s new film, <Snow Piercer>. His next feature <Stoker>, which is his first English-language film, is set to debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013. It will be a horror-thriller featuring [Nicole KIDMAN], [Mia WASIKOWSKA] and [Matthew GOODE]. Its screenplay was written by [Wentworth MILLER], who played the leading character in the popular TV series <Prison Break>. Returning to Korean soil, he made the Colonial Era thriller <The Handmaiden> with KIM Min-hee and HA Jung-woo in 2016. Based on the Sarah Waters novel <Fingersmith>, the film earned him his third invitation to the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival.Less