Happy 56th Birthday, Kim Jee-woon! Born today in 1964, this South Korean screenwriter and film director is a talented, genre-bending filmmaker whose artistic depth is matched only by his technical proficiency.
Kim started out directing theater but had later worked with increasing levels of success in cinema, showing accomplished acting and a detailed stylization in his films.
These included the 2003 South Korean psychological horror/thriller drama film 'Janghwa, Hongryeon' (lit. 'Rose Flower, Red Lotus' or 'A Tale of Two Sisters') and the 2005 South Korean action drama/crime film 'Dalkomhan insaeng' (lit. 'The Sweet Life' or 'A Bittersweet Life').
The following year, the former film opened to very positive reviews from critics. It won Best Picture at the 13th Fantasporto Film Festival in Portugal, and is both the highest-grossing Korean horror film and the first to be screened in American theaters.
Five years later, a remake, being the 2009 American psychological horror/thriller film 'The Uninvited', was opened in theaters but to mixed reviews.
The following year, Kim directed the 2010 South Korean action/thriller crime film 'Akmareul boatda' ('I Saw the Devil').
The lead character of the cast, South Korean actor Choi Min-sik ('Oldboy'), had previously worked with Kim for his 1998 South Korean black comedy/horror film 'Joyonghan Gajok' ('The Quiet Family').
Another cast member of 'I Saw the Devil', South Korean actor, singer and model Lee Byung-hun, had previously worked with Kim on 'A Bittersweet Life'.
This also included the 2008 South Korean Western action film 'Jo-eun nom nappeun nom isanghan nom' ('The Good, the Bad, the Weird') as The Bad.
Among his credits, Kim is best known for co-writing, co-producing and directing 'The Good, the Bad, the Weird'.
The feature was inspired by Italian film director, producer and screenwriter Sergio Leone's epic 1966 Italian/Spanish/West German Spaghetti Western film 'Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo' ('The Good, the Bad and the Ugly').
Set in 1930s Manchuria, an encounter on a train triggers an epic crusade for a treasure map, prompting a marathon chase in hot pursuit of the loot.
Bounty hunter Park Do-won (Jung Woo-sung, 'The Good') is out to track down charismatic hitman Park Chang-yi (Lee Byung-hun, 'The Bad') in attempting to pinch the map from a military official.
However, the ruthless Yoon Tae-goo (Kang-Ho Song, 'The Weird') puts a hitch in both their plans when he snaffles the map for himself.
The film premiered at the 61st Cannes Film Festival in May 2008 and had a limited release in the United States on April 23, 2010. It received positive reviews with critics in praising the action, the cinematography and the direction.
Kim's next feature was his debut in the United States, featuring the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger to lead acting roles for the American film production and film distribution studio Lionsgate Films.
This was for the 2013 American action/Western thriller film 'The Last Stand'. It also starred Forest Whitaker, Peter Stormare, Daniel Henney and Johnny Knoxville.
After his debut in the United States, Kim returned to South Korea and begin production of his latest project. This was his 2015 South Korean science fiction/action political thriller film 'Illang' (lit. 'Human-Wolf'; also known as 'Inrang' or 'Illang: The Wolf Brigade').
'Illang' was based upon Japanese filmmaker, television director and screenwriter Mamoru Oshii's 1999 Japanese action political thriller anime anime film 'Jinrō' (lit. 'Human-Wolf', also known as 'Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade').
Kim pays careful attention to the release of his films on DVD. He goes to greater than usual lengths to package them with extensive documentary materials and revealing commentary tracks.
He is growing substantially both as a director and a visual stylist as demonstrated by two of his most recent films, both of which were received as critical and commercial successes.
Kim has been active from 1998–present.
