Jeong Seo-kyeong (; born 1975) is a South Korean screenwriter. In 2002, she debuted as an independent film director and scriptwriter with the short film, Electricians. She is best known for her works with critically acclaimed director Park Chan-wook such as Lady Vengeance (2005), I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006), Thirst (2009), The Handmaiden (2016), and Decision to Leave (2022).

Jeong has received numerous awards and nominations for her screenwriting work both domestically and internationally. Recognitions include accolades from the Asian Film Awards, Baeksang Arts Awards, Blue Dragon Film Awards, the Chicago Film Critics Association, and the Sitges Film Festival. In June 2018, Jeong was among those invited to be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

Early life and education Jeong initially aspired to become a nun because she admired their uniforms. She first enrolled in the Philosophy Department at Seoul National University, but later transferred to the Film Department of the Korea National University of Arts to avoid retaking college entrance exams. This decision was motivated by her belief that studying film and acting would provide more professional opportunities. While in film school, Jeong attended a scriptwriting class taught by director Hong Sang-soo. She also joined a film club where she studied the works of auteurs such as Ingmar Bergman, Abel Ferrara, Roman Polanski, and Stanley Kubrick.

During her third year, Jeong wrote the short film The Electricians. It was selected as one of the recipients of the 5th Eastman Short Film Production Support Project (Kodak Short Film Production Support Project). Although she did not originally intend to become a director, changes in the academic curriculum required her to complete a film to graduate. She ultimately earned her degree following the completion of The Electricians.

Career

Lady Vengeance

In 2002, Park Chan-wook, who was part of the jury for Kodak Short Film Production Support Project, discovered Jeong when she applied for the project's scholarship. At the time, Jeong was in her third year at the Korea National University of Arts. A year later, Park met with Jeong again following the establishment of his production company, Moho Film.

During the production of Oldboy (2003), Park felt the narrative sidelined the female character, Mido. This realization, which he further developed after Oldboy won the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, inspired him to create a more female-centric project. Seeking a female perspective for the script, Park recalled Jeong's unique sensibility and creative spark and approached her to write an initial draft. Although the two originally met to collaborate on the film Thirst, the project was postponed when Park decided to prioritize the development of Lady Vengeance.

Lady Vengeance ranked as the seventh highest-grossing domestic release in South Korea that year and the eighth highest-grossing release overall with a nationwide ticket sale of 3,650,000.Kim, Yong-jin (2007). "Park Chan-wook". Seoul Selection. Lady Vengeance also participated in the competition for the Golden Lion at the 62nd Venice International Film Festival in September 2005. Although it did not win in the competition, it received recognition in other categories including the Cinema of The Future, the Young Lion Award, and the Best Innovated Film Award in the non-competition section. It later won the Best Film award at the 26th Blue Dragon Film Awards.

I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK

I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK, the second film by Park and writer Jeong, presented a fresh challenge for them, as it diverged from their renowned Revenge Trilogy. The film, a romantic comedy, unfolds within the setting of a mental hospital, portraying the unconventional love story between Yeong-gun (acted by Lim Soo-jeong), who believes she is a cyborg, and Il-sun (acted by Jung Ji-hoon), a patient who supports and safeguards her.

I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK premiered in South Korea on December 7, 2006. It debuted as the top film, grossing $2,478,626; however, it experienced a significant decline of 76% in its second weekend and was subsequently pulled from most screens before Christmas. The sales of approximately 780,000 tickets were considered disappointing compared to Park's previous films, all of which had exceeded 3 million ticket sales.South Korea Box Office December 8–10, 2006 , Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on March 24, 2008.South Korea Box Office December 15–17, 2006, Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on March 24, 2008.[Korean Box Office] I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK To Be Pulled , Twitch, December 22, 2006. Retrieved on March 24, 2008. While the film received mixed reviews in comparison to their earlier works, it still holds significance in their collaborative filmography.

Flower of Evil Subsequently, Jeong started working on the script for Yim Pil-sung's project, Flower of Evil. Yim intended to direct a gripping suspense drama that revolved around a married American expatriate falling for a Korean femme fatale. The project, titled Flower of Evil, entered pre-production in 2009, but it was later shelved.

Thirst

Thirst was loosely based on Émile Zola's novel Thérèse Raquin. Park and Jeong sought to write and direct from a darkly comical and provocative script involving vampire film tropes. The film explores the carnal awakening of a repressed priest turned vampire named Sang-hyun (acted by Song Kang-ho) as he seeks eternal life and desires Tae-ju (acted by Kim Ok-vin), the abused wife of his childhood friend, Kang-woo (acted by Shin Ha-kyun).

When Thirst was released on April 30, 2009, it sparked divided reactions among the audience. While some viewers felt that Park had successfully lived up to the high expectations set by his previous works, others found the film's plot and visuals too provocative. Nevertheless, the film quickly gained popularity, drawing in 170,000 viewers on its opening day, which set a record for that year's film releases. The viewership of Thirst continued to soar, reaching 2 million viewers by the following weekend. Additionally, the film was selected as one of the 20 entries competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Ultimately, Thirst received the Jury Prize at Cannes, sharing the third place award with British director Andrea Arnold's teen drama Fish Tank. Jeong, together with Park, also won an award for their screenplay in the Sitges Film Festival.

Years later, Bong Joon-ho went on to refer to Thirst (2009), I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006), and Sympathy For Lady Vengeance (2005) as the Jeong Seo-kyeong Trilogy.

The Handmaiden

The inspiration for the film came from 2002 novel, Fingersmith, written by Welsh author Sarah Waters. However, the setting was modified from Victorian-era Britain to 1930s Korea during the period of Japanese colonial rule. The plot revolves around a young pickpocket named Sook-hee (acted by Kim Tae-ri) who is recruited by a conman named Count Fujiwara (acted by Ha Jung-woo). Fujiwara's plan is to gather information from heiress Lady Hideko (acted by Kim Min-hee) whom he intends to marry, manipulate, and steal her wealth. However, Fujiwara does not anticipate the strong attraction that develops between Sook-hee and Hideko, and this intense connection adds layers of complexity to an already intricate and constantly evolving story.

At the core of the narrative lies a romantic relationship between the two leading female characters. This aspect holds particular significance given the predominant male influence in both the Korean and Western film industries. Jeong has consistently shown a deep interest in homosexuality, which is not limited to her involvement in this film but extends to her general curiosity on the subject. She has extensively studied the topic and also bears insight from having many queer friends. Moreover, Jeong sought her friend's input on various iterations of the scripts, ultimately valuing their perspective and incorporating their feedback into the creative process.

The Handmaiden competed for the Palme d'Or at Cannes and had its premiere at the festival's 69th installment in the Grand Theatre Lumiere. It received a remarkable five-minute standing ovation. While the film did not sweep awards at the festival, it achieved considerable success by securing lucrative export deals from film marketers in 176 countries. This achievement set a new record for a South Korean film, surpassing the previous record held by Snowpiercer (2013), a fantasy film by Bong Joon-ho which had been sold in 167 countries. Jeong, together with Park, also won awards for their screenplay from the Chicago Film Critics Association.

The Handmaiden had a successful theatrical release on June 1, 2016, attracting approximately 300,000 viewers on its opening day. Within the first two days, the film surpassed 550,000 viewers, making it a box office-topping hit. In South Korea, the film sold more than 4 million tickets altogether. Due to popular demand, the film's screenplay was officially published just two months later in August 2016.

The Truth Beneath

The screenplay for The Truth Beneath was based on Lee Kyung-mi's earlier work, Female Teacher. During Park's time directing Stoker in the United States, he contacted Lee and proposed the idea of developing a subplot within it. This suggestion eventually led to the creation of The Truth Beneath. A team of screenwriters, Lee, Park, Jeong, and Kim Da-young, collaborated on the script for the film.

Believer

Jeong collaborated with director Lee Hae-young to co-write the remake of Johnnie To's 2012 gritty mainland crime saga, Drug War. The film, titled Believer, retains the core elements of To's original work; however, while faithfully recreating certain iconic scenes, Lee and Jeong made substantial changes to the plot and character dynamics in other areas. Notably, the remake's subdued resolution sparked significant discussion, as it diverged dramatically from To's action-packed finale.

Mother

Mother was a remake of the 2010 Japanese TV series of the same title. Jeong initially felt hesitant about writing a drama due to a lack of energy and space. When offered an opportunity by tvN, she considered the chance to tell a story about a mother and child for the next five years to be a rare opportunity. Despite feeling unprepared, Jeong decided to give it a try. She even sought the opinion of her eldest child, who initially responded with "No." However, when Jeong mentioned that the main character would be an elementary school student, her eldest child responded with excitement, changing their initial "No" to "Really?" She was nominated for Best Screenplay at the 54th Baeksang Arts Awards, while the drama itself won the award for Best Television Drama at the same event. Additionally, the drama was honored for Best Mini-series at the 13th Seoul International Drama Awards. It was also nominated for Best Series in the 1st Cannes International Series Festival.

Decision to Leave

Decision to Leave originated from an idea proposed by Park. He suggested exploring the concept of a woman who kills her husband twice, specifically with the natural setting of mountains in mind. Jeong aimed to portray the most fundamental and instinctive love without relying on words. The movie's plot revolves around a married detective who becomes involved with Song So-rae, a widow and a suspect in her husband's death, while investigating the case. Jeong had a specific vision for the character of So-rae and desired to cast Tang Wei in the role.