Ryoo Seung-wan, a renowned Korean film director, burst onto the global scene in 2005 with the critically acclaimed film CRYING FIST, which starred the talented Choi Min-sik, also known for his role in OLD BOY, alongside Ryoo's younger brother Ryoo Seung-bum. This groundbreaking film showcased the director's innovative ability to defy traditional genre conventions, earning him the FIPRESCI Prize at the 58th Cannes Film Festival and the Best Director award at the 2005 Busan Film Critics Association.
Prior to and following the success of CRYING FIST, Ryoo's films DIE BAD and CITY OF VIOLENCE solidified his reputation as a master of the action genre. His 2010 film THE UNJUST, a gripping tale of corruption among law enforcement officials, became a box office sensation, attracting over 2.7 million admissions and securing a spot on the top ten Korea box office list for that year.
In 2015, Ryoo wrote and directed the action-comedy film VETERAN, which achieved unprecedented success, both critically and commercially, grossing an impressive $94 million on a modest budget of $7.5 million. This achievement cemented Ryoo's position as one of the most successful and influential Korean film directors of all time, with VETERAN becoming the 5th highest-grossing local film in Korean cinema history.
Ryoo is currently wrapping up his next project, MOGADISHU, a true story-based film set in the late 1980s, during a pivotal moment in Korean history when the country was facing an impasse over its campaigns to join the United Nations. The highly anticipated international blockbuster is set to be released in the summer of 2020.
In addition to his impressive directing career, Ryoo is also a prolific and successful producer of numerous hit Korean films, through his production company Filmmakers R&K.
