Im Kwon-taek (; born December 8, 1934) is one of South Korea's most renowned film directors. In an active and prolific career, his films have won many domestic and international film festival awards, as well as considerable box-office success, and helped bring international attention to the Korean film industry. As of spring 2015, he has directed 102 films.
Early life Im Kwon-taek was born in Jangseong, Zenranan Prefecture, Korea, Empire of Japan, and grew up in Gwangju. After the Korean War, he moved to Busan in search of work. He then moved to Seoul in 1956, where Jeong Chang-hwa, director of Five Fingers of Death (1972), offered him room and board for work as a production assistant. Jeong recommended him for directing in 1961.
Career Im's directorial premiere was with the 1962 film, Farewell to the Duman River (Dumanganga jal itgeola).
Before 1980, he was known primarily as a commercial filmmaker who could efficiently direct as many as eight genre pictures a year, helping to fulfill the quota for domestic pictures set by the government . His desire to make more artistically satisfying films began to show itself with his 1978 film Jokbo (Genealogy or The Family Tree), but the turning point of his career came with the 1981 film Mandala. From this point his films have been regarded as art-house cinema, and have been regularly shown at international film festivals, and have won numerous awards.
Im has continued to explore themes from Korea's past while also focusing on the Korean cultural identity in modern times. Among Im's most notable recent films are Sopyonje (1993) and Chunhyang (2000), both of which concentrate on the traditional Korean musical art of pansori. The latter film was also based on a traditional Korean legend. Apart from being a critical success, Sopyonje was also a success at the box office, becoming the first domestic film to draw over a million viewers in Seoul alone. Chihwaseon (2002) was also a critical success, earning him Korea's first Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival. Im Kwon-taek was awarded an Honorary Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival in 2005.
Im Kwon-taek's status, brought on by the critical success of his films, overlapped with a period of the film movement called "New Korean Cinema" or "Korean New Wave". Along with other directors, such as Park Gwang-su and Jang Sun-woo, Im is recognized as one of the founding figures of the movement, which gained international critical recognition and acclaim for Korean Cinema.
In April 2007, Im released his 100th film Beyond the Years, an informal sequel to Sopyonje. In November 2007 the French government announced that it would make Im a knight of the French Legion of Honor.
In 2013, a museum dedicated to Im opened in Busan, on the Dongseo University Centum City Campus.
A documentary on Im, Cloud, Encore (2018) by well-known film critic-turned-director Jung Sung-il, made its world premiere at the 23rd Busan International Film Festival in 2018.
Personal life He married the actress (), who appeared in several of his films. Their two sons Im Dong-joon and Im Dong-jae ( Kwon Hyun-sang) are also active in the film industry.
Filmography Filmography of Im Kwon-taekFilmography from ; and Year Hangul Title Hanja Title Romanized Title English Title Alternate English TitleFilms in the 1960s 1962 두만강아 잘 있거라 Dumanganga jal itgeola Farewell to the Duman River 전쟁과 노인 Jeonjaenggwa noin Old Man in the Combat Zone The War and an Old Man 1963 남자는 안팔려 Namjaneun anpallyeo Actors Disguised as Women 망부석 Mangbuseog A Wife Turned to Stone 신문고 Shinmungo The Throne Memorial Drum 욕망의 결산 Yogmangui gyeolsan The End of Desire 1964 십자매 선생 Shibjamae seonsaeng Father of Ten Daughters 단장록 Danjang lok The Prince's Revolt 단골 지각생 Dangol jikaksaeng The Latecomer 십년세도 Shibnyeon sedo The Ten-Year Rule 영화 마마 Yeonghwa mama Queen Yongwha's Avenger 1965 빗 속에 지다 Bitsoke jida Death of an Informer 왕과 상노 Wanggwa sangno A Bogus Nobleman 1966 전쟁과 여교사 Jeonjaenggwa yeogyosa Schoolmistress on the Battlefield 법창을 울린 옥이 Beobchangeul ullin oki Miss Ok and the Divided Court 나는 왕이다 Naneum wang-ida I Am a King 닐니리 Nilniri A Triangle in Noble Families 청사초롱 Cheongsa choryong The Feudal Tenant 1967 풍운의 검객 Pungunui geomgaek Swordsmen 망향천리 Manghyang cheonri A Wife Retrieved 1968 요화 장희빈 妖花 張禧嬪 Yohwa Jang Huibin Femme Fatale, Jang Hee-bin 바람 같은 사나이 Baramgateun sanai A Man Called the Wind 몽녀 夢女 Mongnyeo The Waking Woman 돌아온 왼손잡이 Dolaon winsonjabi Return from the Sea Return of the Left-Handed Man Sanai samdae Three Generations of Men 1969 비나리는 고모령 Binaerineun gomoryeong Best Friends and Their Wives Rain on Gomo Bridge 상해 탈출 Shanghai talchul Escape from Shanghai 십오야 Shiboya Night of the Full Moon 뇌검 Roegeom Thunder Sword 황야의 독수리 Hwangyaui doksori Eagle of the Plains 신세 좀 지자구요 Shinse jom jijaguyo Would You Help Me? Films in the 1970s 1970 월하의 검 Wolhaui geom Swords Under the Moon 애꾸눈 박 Aeggunun Park One-Eyed Mr. Park 이슬 맞은 백일홍 Iseulmajeun baekilhong Unmarried Mother 비나리는 선창가 Binaerineun seonchangga A Vagabond's Story 그여자를 쫓아라 Geu yeojareul jjochara A Woman Pursued 밤차로 온 사나이 Bamcharo on sanai Man on the Night Train 비검 Bigeom The Flying Sword 속눈썹이 긴 여자 Soknunseobi kin yeoja A Snapshot and a Murder 1971 원한의 거리에 눈이 내린다 Wonhanui geori nuni naerinda Snowing on Grudge Street 30년만의 대결 30 nyeonmanui daegyeol The 30-Year Showdown 원한의 두 꼽추 Weonhan ui tu kkobchu Revenge of Two Sons 나를 더 이상 괴롭히지 마라 Nareul deoisang goerobhiji mara In Search of the Secret Agent Don't Torture Me Anymore 요검 Yogeom Swordswoman 둘째 어머니 Duljjae eomeoni A Stepmother's Heartache 1972 명동 삼국지 Myeongdong samgukji Gangsters of Myeongdong Whirl of Betrayals on Myeongdong 명동 잔혹사 Myeongdong janhoksa Cruelty on the Streets of Myeongdong 돌아온 자와 떠나야 할 자 Dolaon jawa ddeonaya hal ja Arrivals and Departures One Returns and the Other Leaves 삼국대협 三國大俠 Samguk daehyeob Seize the Precious Sword 1973 Janganmyeonggi obaekwa Five Hostesses for the Resistance 대추격 Daechugyeok Pursuit of the Bandits The Big Chase 잡초 Jabcho The Deserted Widow Weeds 증언 證言 Jeungeon The Testimony 1974 아내들의 행진 아내들의 行進 Anaedeului haengjin Wives on Parade 울지 않으리 Ulji aneuri I'll Never Cry Again 연화 Yeonhwa The Hidden Princess 연화 2 Yeonhwa 2 The Hidden Princess, Part 2 왜 그랬던가 Wae guraetdeonga Who and Why? 1975 어제 오늘 그리고 내일 Eoje, oneul, geurigo naeil Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 1976 왕십리 Wangshibri A Byegone Romance Wang Sib Ri, My Hometown 맨발의 눈길 Maenbalui nunkil Overcome by Misfortunes Barefoot In The Snow 낙동강은 흐르는가 洛東江은 흐르는가 Nakdongkaneun heureuneunga Commando on the Nakdong River 아내 Anae Wife The Industrious Wife 1977 옥례기 Okryegi The Virtuous Woman The Life of Okrye 임진왜란과 계월향 壬辰倭亂과 桂月香 Imjinrangwa gyewolhyang Madame Kye in the Imjin War 1978 상록수 常綠樹 Sangroksu The Evergreen Tree 가깝고도 먼 길 Gaggabgodo meon kil Near Yet Far Away 1979 내일 또 내일 Naeil ddo naeil Again Tomorrow 족보 族譜 Jokbo The Genealogy The Family Pedigree 저 파도 위에 엄마 얼굴이 Jeo padowie eoma eolguli The Little Adventurer 깃발없는 기수 깃발없는 旗手 Gitbaleobtneun gisu The Hidden Hero No Glory 신궁 神弓 Shingung The Divine Bow Films in the 1980s 1980 복부인 Bokbuin The Wealthy Woman Mrs. Speculator 짝코 Jagko Pursuit of Death 1981 만다라 Mandala Mandala 1982 아벤고 공수 군단 Abenko gongsu gundan Abenko Green Berets 우상의 눈물 Woosangui nunmul High School Tears Tears of the Idol 오염된 자식들 Oyeomdoen jashikdeul The Polluted One 안개 마을 Angae maeul Village in the Mist 나비 품에서 울었다 Nabipumeseo uleotda In the Bosom of a Butterfly 1983 불의 딸 Bului dal Daughter of the Flames 1984 흐르는 강물을 어찌 막으랴 Heureuneun gangmuleul eojji makeorya The Eternal Flow You Can't Stop a River 1985 길소뜸 Gilsoddeum Gilsoddeum 1986 티켓 Ticket Ticket 씨받이 Sibaji The Surrogate Woman 1987 아다다 Adada Adada 연산일기 Yeonsan ilgi Diary of King Yeonsan 1989 아제 아제 바라 아제 Aje aje bara aje Come Come Come Upward 손에 손 잡고 Hand in HandFilms in the 1990s 1990 장군의 아들 將軍의 아들 Janggunui adeul General's Son 1991 장군의 아들 2 將軍의 아들 2 Janggunui adeul II The General's Son II 개벽 開闢 Gaebyeok Fly High Run Far 1992 장군의 아들 3 將軍의 아들 3 Janggunui adeul III The General's Son III 1993 서편제 西便制 Seopyeonje Seopyeonje 1994 태백산맥 太白山脈 Taebaek sanmaek The Taebaek Mountains (film) 1996 축제 祝祭 Chukje Festival 1997 창 娼 Chang Downfall ChangFilms since 2000 2000 춘향뎐 春香傳 Chunhyang Chunhyang 2002 취화선 醉畵仙 Chihwaseon Painted Fire 2004 하류인생 下流人生 Haryu insaeng Low Life 2007 천년학 千年鶴 Cheonnyeonhak Beyond the Years 2011 달빛 길어올리기 Dalbit Gireoolligi Hanji 2014 화장 Hwajang Revivre
Accolades Asian Film Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award Asia Pacific Film Festival Special Jury Award Chunhyang (2000) Best Director and Best Film Sibaji (1987) Beautiful Artist Awards (Shin Young-kyun Arts and Culture Foundation) Meritorious Artist Award (2023) Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear: Gilsoddeum (nominated) (1986) Golden Bear: The Taebaek Mountains (nominated) (1995) Honorary Golden Bear (2005) Busan International Film Festival Netpac Award Chunhyang (2000) The Asian Filmmaker of the Year (2021) Cannes Film Festival Best Director Chihwaseon (2002) Grand Bell Awards (Korea), Best Director Testimony (Jungon) (1974) Jokbo (Genealogy/Family Tree) (1979) Mandala (1981) Ticket (1986) Yeonsan ilgi (Diary of King Yonsan) (1988) Hankuk Play and Film Arts Awards (Korea), Best Director Wangshibri (A Byegone Romance) (1976) Nakdongkaneun heureuneunga (Commando on the Nakdong River) (1976) Angae maeul (Village in the Mist) (1983) Hawaii International Film Festival Best Feature Film Chunhyang (2000) International Film Festival of India Lifetime Achievement Award Korean Film Critics Awards, Best Director Gilsoddeum (Gilsodom) (1986) Ticket (1986) 16th Moscow International Film Festival Golden St. George: Come Come Come Upward (1989) (nominated) San Francisco International Film Festival Akira Kurosawa Award (1998) Shanghai International Film Festival Golden Goblet - Best Director Seopyeonje (1993) Singapore International Film Festival 2001 Silver Screen Award - Best Asian Director Chunhyang (2000) 2014 Silver Screen Award - Honorary Award Telluride Film Festival Silver Medallion Award (2000)
State honors +Name of country, year given, and name of honorCountryAward CeremonyYearHonorFrance Legion d'Honneur - Jacques Chirac Administration2007 the Chevalier (Knight) order
See also Cinema of Korea List of Korean film directors
Legion of Honour List of Legion of Honour recipients by name (I) Legion of Honour Museum
Notes
External links and references
Page about the Korean New Wave at asianinfo.org Biography and interview at cinekorea.com
Interview: Reflection In A Mirror at asianfilms.org
, p. 342-343. Naver Cast - Im Kwon-taek Doosan Encyclopedia - Im Kwon-taek