After two unsuccessful films in the 1990s which he has since largely disowned, Park came to prominence with his acclaimed third directorial effort, Joint Security Area (2000), which became the
highest-grossing film in South Korean history at the time and which Park himself prefers to be regarded as his directorial debut.[5][6] Using his newfound creative freedom, he would go on to direct the films forming his unofficial The Vengeance Trilogy: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), a financial failure that polarized critics, followed by Oldboy (2003) and Lady Vengeance (2005), both of which received critical acclaim and were financially successful. Oldboy in particular is regarded as
one of the greatest films ever made, and helped establish Park as a well-known director outside his native country.[7][8][9][10][11]
Park Chan-wook was born 23 August 1963 in
Seoul.[13] Both of his parents were native Seoul residents who have lived in Seoul for five generations. His father, Park Don-seo, was a professor of architecture and former dean of
Ajou University's College of Engineering. Meanwhile, his grandfather, Park Seung-seo, was the former president of the Korean Bar Association.[14] His brother,
Park Chan-kyong is also a filmmaker. [15]
Park studied philosophy at
Sogang University, where, disappointed with the
analytic orientation of the department and consequent scant offerings in aesthetics, he started a cinema club, the 'Sogang Film Community', and published a number of articles on contemporary cinema. Originally intending to be an
art critic, Park, upon seeing Vertigo, resolved to become a filmmaker.[16] After graduation, he wrote articles on film for journals and soon became an assistant director of films like Kkamdong, directed by Yu Yeong-jin, and Watercolor Painting in a Rainy Day, directed by
Kwak Jae-yong (My Sassy Girl).[17]
Career
Park's debut feature film was The Moon Is... the Sun's Dream (1992). After five years, he made his second film, Trio. Park's early films were not successful at the box office, and he pursued a career as a film critic to make a living.[18] In an interview in 2017, he said "Many people think my directorial debut film is JSA, but I want to keep it that way".[19]
In 2000, Park directed Joint Security Area, which was a great success both commercially and critically, even surpassing
Kang Je-gyu'sShiri as the then most-watched film ever made in South Korea.[20] This success made it possible for Park to make his next film more independently. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is the result of this creative freedom.
Since 2004, Park has been an owner of the filmmaking company Moho Film, which participated in the production of Snowpiercer (2013) and The Handmaiden (2016).[25]
In 2011, Park said his new fantasy-horror film Paranmanjang (
Night Fishing) was shot entirely on the
iPhone.[28] The film was co-directed with Park's younger brother, Park Chan-kyong, who had no prior directing experience. It was nominated for Berlinale Shorts during the
2011 Berlin Film Festival and won the Golden Bear for Best Short Film.
In 2013, Park directed his first English-language film, Stoker.[29] He said he learned to accelerate the production process and completed filming in 480 hours.[27] Although Park does speak English, he used an interpreter on set.[27] On why the script attracted his attention, Park said: "It wasn't a script that tried to explain everything and left many things as questions, so it leads the audience to find answers for themselves, and that's what I liked about the script... I like telling big stories through small, artificially created worlds".[30][27] On 2 March 2013, Park appeared on a panel discussion about the film Stoker held at the Freer Gallery of Art in the Smithsonian's Museums of Asian Art.[31]
In September 2014, it was announced that Park would adapt Fingersmith, a historical crime novel by Sarah Waters.[33] The film entered production in mid-2015 and ended on 31 October 2015.[34] That film ended up becoming The Handmaiden and premiered in competition to rave reviews at the
2016 Cannes Film Festival, where Artistic Director Seong-hie Ryu won the Vulcain Prize for the Technical Arts, and the film was nominated for both the Palme d' Or and Queer Palm. At the 2016
Buil Film Awards, The Handmaiden won for Best New Actress (Tae-ri Kim), The Buil Readers' Jury Award and Best Art Direction (Seong-hie Ryu).[35] The film holds a 95% rating on
Rotten Tomatoes, and saw box office success in several countries, including South Korea, the United States and the United Kingdom.[36][12]
In October 2014, it was announced that Park had signed on to direct the sci-fi body-swap film, Second Born.[37]
In May 2020, it was announced that he was working on his next film's screenplay, tentatively titled Heeojil gyeolsim (The Decision to Break Up). It is described as a
melodrama and will star
Tang Wei and
Park Hae-il.[40][41] In October 2020, the title of the film was revealed as Decision to Leave, with the story described as a murder mystery romance. The film was set to begin shooting later that month.[42][43] In April 2021,
A24 optioned
Viet Thanh Nguyen's 2015 novel The Sympathizer for a TV adaptation, with Park Chan-wook directing.[44][45] He was awarded
Best Director at the
2022 Cannes Film Festival for his work on Decision to Leave.[46][47]
Filmmaking
Park Chan-wook's films have gained notoriety for their cinematography and framing,
black humor and often brutal subject matter.[3][4]
Park has a history of successful collaborations with various talented individuals in the film industry. Among these collaborations, the longest-standing partnership is with Editor
Kim Sang-bum.[48] Their relationship dates back to when Park, then a college student, joined the directing department led by editor-in-chief
Kim Sang-bum. It is worth noting that Editor
Kim Sang-bum's late father, Editor Kim Hee-soo, was involved in Park Chan-wook's debut film, The Moon Is... the Sun's Dream as editor. Since the film
Joint Security Area (1998), Editor
Kim Sang-bum has edited all of Park Chan-wook's works, except for
Stoker (2013), up until The Handmaiden.[49] For his editing work in Park's latest film Decision to Leave,Kim Sang-bum won José Salcedo Award for Best Editing in
Valladolid International Film Festival.[50]
Another notable collaborator of Park's is cinematographer
Chung Chung-hoon. The pair first met during the production of Old Boy. The two have since worked on several other projects together, including Sympathy For Lady Vengeance, I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK,
Thirst, and The Handmaiden. Chung is known for his exceptional use of lighting and camera work, and his visual style has been a strong match for Park's atmospheric and visually stunning films.[53]
Park has a talent for attracting top-tier acting talents. Some of Korea's most well-known stars, such as
Choi Min-sik and
Song Kang-ho, have been integral parts of his casting selection.
Song Kang-ho, in particular, has appeared in six of Park's feature length films.
Park Hae-il and
Shin Ha-kyun have also worked with Park on multiple occasions, three and four, respectively. Their collaborations have been highly regarded by audiences and critics alike.
Park was raised in a devout Catholic family in Korea, and describes himself as an atheist.[57][58] Park was raised in an environment that fostered culture and intellectual pursuits. His father, Park Don-seo, served as a professor of architecture and former dean of Ajou University's College of Engineering, while his grandfather, Park Seung-seo, held the esteemed position of former president of the Korean Bar Association. Additionally, Park's younger brother,
Park Chan-kyong, is active as painter and art critic.[14]
^Visionary Awards, which started in 2020, selects and awards people who lead roles in the Korean entertainment industry. It highlights the meaning and achievements of a person whose chosen trend keywords penetrated the entertainment industry, including broadcasting, movies, music, and performances, and presents the next vision of the cultural sector with outstanding achievements and influence.[162]
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