Lee Chang-Dong, a renowned filmmaker and novelist, was born in 1954 in Daegu, a city that some consider to be the most right-wing in South Korea. Prior to his transition to cinema, Lee had a distinguished career as a high-school teacher. He didn't turn to filmmaking until he was well over 40 years old, but his debut film, "Green Fish," released in 1997, brought him immediate success and critical acclaim.
Lee's subsequent film, "Peppermint Candy," released in 2000, seemed to explore the same theme of lost innocence that was present in his earlier work as a novelist. However, this film took a more fiery approach, shooting criticisms directly at the remnants of the Korean military dictatorship regime, which was still exerting its power at the time. The film's bold stance garnered a significant amount of attention and accolades.
Lee's next film, "Oasis," released in 2002, received widespread critical acclaim and earned him numerous awards, including the Special Director's Award at the prestigious Venice Film Festival. Following his success in the film industry, Lee took on a new role in 2003, serving as the Minister of Culture in the newly elected liberal national government of South Korea.
