Born on May 2, 1936, in Changsong, Cheollanam-do, a city that would later play a significant role in shaping his life's journey. Growing up in the southern city of Kwangju, he completed his senior high school education, setting the stage for the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.
His family, like many others, suffered greatly during the Korean War, leading to significant hardships and losses. In search of a better life, he moved to Pusan, where he worked as a laborer before attempting to start his own business, recycling US Army boots into shoes. This entrepreneurial spirit would serve him well in the years to come.
In 1956, he made the move to Seoul, where he was offered a chance to work as a production assistant by film director Chung Chang-Hwa in exchange for room and board. Five years later, Chung would recommend him as a director, and he would go on to complete his first feature film in 1962.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he would become a prolific director of films in various popular genres, but a growing sense of artistic purpose would lead him to seek out more serious and meaningful projects. This desire would finally find an outlet in his 1978 film, Genealogy, which marked a turning point in his career.
Since the release of Mandala in 1981, he has been widely regarded as Korea's leading director. His films have garnered every possible prize at Korea's three annual film awards ceremonies, as well as a growing number of international festival prizes. His 1993 film, Sopyonje, is widely considered the most honored Korean film ever made, with a staggering 27 domestic and three international prizes to its name. It was also a massive commercial success in the Korean market.
