Hong Sang-soo (홍상수, born 25 October 1960) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter.

Early life

Hong's parents owned the film production company Cinetel Soul. Hong took the entrance exam and entered the theater department at Chung-Ang University in South Korea. He then studied in the United States where he received his bachelor's degree from the

California College of Arts and Crafts California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the mo ...

and his master's at the

School of the Art Institute of Chicago The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is a private art school associated with the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) in Chicago, Illinois. Tracing its history to an art students' cooperative founded in 1866, which grew into the museum and ...

Career

Hong made his directorial debut at age 35 with ''The Day a Pig Fell into the Well'' in 1996. ''Woman is the Future of Man'' (2004) was his first film to screen in competition at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

. Hong's films have also screened at the

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

, the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...

, and the

Locarno Film Festival The Locarno Film Festival is an annual film festival, held every August in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narrative, documentary, s ...

. He has received the

Prix Un Certain Regard (, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob. The section presents 20 films w ...

at the

2010 Cannes Film Festival The 63rd Cannes Film Festival was held from 12 to 23 May 2010, in Cannes, France. The Cannes Film Festival, hailed as being one of the most recognized and prestigious film festivals worldwide, was founded in 1946. It consists of having films scr ...

for '' Hahaha'', the Silver Leopard Award for Best Director at the 2013

Locarno International Film Festival The Locarno Film Festival is an annual film festival, held every August in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narrative, documentary, sh ...

for ''

Our Sunhi ''Our Sunhi'' () is a 2013 South Korean film written and directed by Hong Sang-soo. Hong won the Silver Leopard award for Best Director at the 66th Locarno International Film Festival. Plot Sunhi ( Jung Yu-mi) is a recent film school graduate wh ...

'', and the

Golden Leopard The Golden Leopard () is the top prize at the Locarno International Film Festival, an international film festival held annually in Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. Directors in the process of getting an international reputation are allowed to be ...

at the 2015 Locarno International Film Festival for ''

Right Now, Wrong Then ''Right Now, Wrong Then'' () is a 2015 South Korean film written and directed by Hong Sang-soo. It won the Golden Leopard, the top prize at the 68th Locarno International Film Festival, as well as Best Actor for Jung Jae-young. Plot Part 1 An arth ...

''. His 2020 film ''

The Woman Who Ran ''The Woman Who Ran'' () is a 2020 South Korean drama film written, produced, directed, edited and scored by Hong Sang-soo. It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition section at the 70th Berlin International Film Fe ...

'' won him the

Silver Bear for Best Director The Silver Bear for Best Director (german: Silberner Bär/Bester Regie) is an award presented annually at the Berlin International Film Festival since 1956. It is given for the best achievement in directing and is chosen by the International Jury ...

at the

70th Berlin International Film Festival The 70th annual Berlin International Film Festival took place from 20 February to 1 March 2020. It was the first under the leadership of new Berlin Film Festival heads, business administration director Mariette Rissenbeek and artistic director C ...

. Hong's 2022 black and white film '' The Novelist's Film'' won the

Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize The Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize (also Jury Grand Prix, Grand Prize of the Jury) is an award given by the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival to one of the feature films in competition. It is the runner-up to the Golden Bear prize an ...

at the

Berlinale The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

. It was described as the film that "celebrates the beauty of chance encounters, while talking about the importance of authenticity in the dishonest world of cinema" by the executive director Carlo Shatrian of the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival.

Film style

There are certain elements that are commonly found in Hong's films. A typical Hong film highlights a theme of

domestic realism Domestic realism normally refers to the genre of 19th-century fictional works about the daily lives of ordinary Victorian women. This body of writing is also known as " sentimental fiction" or "woman's fiction". The genre is mainly reflected in the ...

with many of the scenes set on residential streets, cafes, hotels, schools, and in the stairwells of apartment buildings. Characters in the film are seen walking around the city, drinking

soju (; Hangul: ; Hanja: ) is a clear and colorless Korean distilled alcoholic beverage. It is usually consumed neat. Its alcohol content varies from about 12.9% to 53% alcohol by volume (ABV), although since 2007 low alcohol soju below 20% h ...

, and having sex. The main characters in his films are often movie directors or actors, and scenes typically consist of a single shot, often beginning and ending with a camera zoom. The budgets for his movies average about $100,000. Hong is often spontaneous when shooting, delivering the day's scene on the morning of the shoot and frequently changing stories while on set. He rarely prepares scripts in advance. Hong instead begins with a basic guideline and writes his scenes on the morning of the filming day, making changes throughout the day. Hong starts the filming day at 4 a.m. when he begins to write the dialogue for that day's shoot. Hong also develops close relationships with the actors over alcohol and cigarettes and sometimes shoots certain scenes while the actors are under the influence. Hong's style has been compared to

Eric Rohmer The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...

's, and it has even been argued that allusions to Rohmer's films appear in some films directed by Hong.

Personal life

In 2016, Hong was reported to be having an

extramarital affair An affair is a sexual relationship, romantic friendship, or passionate attachment in which at least one of its participants has a formal or informal commitment to a third person who may neither agree to such relationship nor even be aware of i ...

with actress Kim Min-hee, who appeared in his 2015 film, ''

''. Hong admitted to the affair in March 2017, at the Seoul premiere of ''

On the Beach at Night Alone ''On the Beach at Night Alone'' () is a 2017 South Korean drama film written, produced, and directed by Hong Sang-soo. It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition section of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. ...

''. He filed a divorce suit from his wife in December 2016, but the court rejected his request in June 2019, insisting that only the injured party, Hong's wife, could initiate a legal separation.

Filmography

Feature films

Short films

Awards

National awards

* 1996 17th

Blue Dragon Film Awards The Blue Dragon Film Awards () is an annual awards ceremony that is presented by ''Sports Chosun'' (a sister brand of the ''Chosun Ilbo'') for excellence in film in South Korea. The Blue Dragon Film Awards considers only blockbusters and popula ...

: Best New Director (''

The Day a Pig Fell into the Well ''The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well'' (돼지가 우물에 빠진 날, ''Dwaejiga umul-e ppajin nal'') is a 1996 Korean drama film and the directorial debut of Hong Sang-soo. It stars Bang Eun-hee, Jo Eun-sook, Park Jin-song, Lee Eung-kyung and Kim ...

'') * 1996 16th

Korean Association of Film Critics Awards The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (), also known as the Critics Choice Awards (), is an annual awards ceremony for excellence in film in South Korea. It was established in 1980 by the Korean Association of Film Critics (KAFC). The c ...

: Best New Director (''

'') * 1998 19th

: Best Director; Best Screenplay (''

The Power of Kangwon Province ''The Power of Kangwon Province'' ( 강원도의 힘, ''Gangwon-do ui him'') is the second film by South Korean director Hong Sang-soo. It follows the lives of a man and a woman who have decided to end their affair. It was screened in the Un Certa ...

'') * 2000 1st

Busan Film Critics Awards Established in 2000, the Busan Film Critics Awards is run by the Busan Film Critics Association (BCFA), a small but independent-minded group of critics based in Busan, South Korea. Each year they announce their choices shortly before the opening o ...

: Best Screenplay (''

Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors ''Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors'' (''Oh! Soo-jung'') is a 2000 South Korean erotic comedy-drama, directed by Hong Sang-soo. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. It follows the romantic travail ...

'') * 2006 9th

Director's Cut Awards The Director's Cut Awards () is an annual awards ceremony for excellence in film in South Korea. It is presented by the Korea Film Director's Network (KFDN), a group of approximately 300 Korean filmmakers. The KFDN selects winners in the Korean f ...

: Best Director (''

Woman on the Beach ''Woman on the Beach'' is the seventh feature film by South Korean director Hong Sang-soo, and was released in 2006. Plot Film director and screenwriter Kim Jung-rae asks his friend Won Chang-wook to drive with him from their homes in Seoul to ...

'') * 2008 28th

: Best Screenplay ('' Night and Day'') * 2010 19th

Buil Film Awards The Buil Film Awards () is a South Korean film awards ceremony hosted by the ''Busan Ilbo'' newspaper. It began in 1958 as one of the earliest film awards in the country. During the 1950s and 1960s, it was the biggest film awards event in the B ...

: Best Director ('' Hahaha'') * 2013 14th

: Special Jury Prize (''

'') * 2014

23rd Buil Film Awards The 23rd Buil Film Awards () ceremony was hosted by the Busan-based daily newspaper Busan Ilbo. It was held on October 3, 2014 at the Haeundae Grand Hotel's Grand Ballroom in Busan and was emceed by actors Kwon Yul and Ryu Hyun-kyung. Nominations ...

: Best Director (''

'') * 2015

2nd Wildflower Film Awards The 2nd Wildflower Film Awards () is an awards ceremony recognizing the achievements of Korean independent and low-budget films. It was held at the Literature House in Seoul on April 9, 2015. The selection committee was composed of 25 film professi ...

: Best Director, Narrative Films (''

Hill of Freedom ''Hill of Freedom'' () is a 2014 South Korean arthouse film written and directed by Hong Sang-soo. It premiered in the ''Orizzonti'' ("Horizons") section of the 71st Venice International Film Festival, and won Best Film at the 34th Korean Associa ...

'') * 2017

: Grand Prize (''

'') * 2017

: Grand Prize (''

The Day After ''The Day After'' is an American television film that first aired on November 20, 1983 on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network. More than 100 million people, in nearly 39 million households, watched the film durin ...

'') * 2018

5th Wildflower Film Awards The 5th Wildflower Film Awards () is an awards ceremony recognizing the achievements of Korean independent and low-budget films. It was held at the Literature House in Seoul on April 12, 2018. This year awards includes a new category for Best Mus ...

: Best Director, Narrative Films (''

'') * 2022

: Grand Prize (''

In Front of Your Face ''In Front of Your Face'' ( ko, 당신 얼굴 앞에서, dangsin eolgul ap-eseo) is a 2021 South Korean drama film written and directed by Hong Sang-soo. The film was selected to be shown in the Cannes Premiere section at the 2021 Cannes Film Fe ...

'')

International awards

* 1996 15th

Vancouver International Film Festival The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for two weeks in late September and early October. The festival is operated by the Greater Vancouver International Film Fest ...

Dragons and Tigers Award VIFF Dragons and Tigers Award for Young Cinema was an award from the Vancouver International Film Festival for a film director from the Asia-Pacific region. Presented to a film judged as the best film by an emerging director within the festival's D ...

(''

'') * 1997 42nd

Asia Pacific Film Festival The Asia-Pacific Film Festival (abbreviated APFF) is an annual film festival hosted by the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific. The festival was first held in Tokyo, Japan, in 1954. History The festival was first held in Toky ...

: Best New Director (''

'') * 1997

International Film Festival Rotterdam The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is an annual film festival held at the end of January in various locations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since its foundation in 1972, it has maintained a focus on independent and experimental fi ...

: Tiger Award (''

'') * 1999

Singapore International Film Festival The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) (Chinese: 新加坡国际电影节) is the longest-running film festival in Singapore. Founded in 1987, the festival has a focus on showcasing international films and providing a global platform for ...

: NETPAC-FIPRESCI Special Mention (''

'') * 1999

Santa Barbara International Film Festival The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is an eleven-day film festival held in Santa Barbara, California since 1986. The festival boasts screenings of over 200 feature films and shorts from different countries and regions. SBIFF al ...

: Burning Vision Award (''

'') * 2000 45th

: Best Screenplay (''

'') * 2000 13th

Tokyo International Film Festival The is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biennially from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter. Along with the Shanghai International Film Festival, it is one of Asia's competitive film festivals, and is considered to be the ...

: Special Jury Prize (''

'') * 2002 47th

: Best Director (''

On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate ''On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate'', also referred to simply as ''Turning Gate'', is the fourth film by critically acclaimed South Korean director Hong Sang-soo. Plot In the dreary and rigid city of Seoul, Gyung-soo is an actor wh ...

'') * 2003

Seattle International Film Festival The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees. The SIFF runs for more th ...

: Emerging Masters Showcase Award * 2007 22nd

Mar del Plata International Film Festival The Mar del Plata International Film Festival ( es, Festival Internacional de Cine de Mar del Plata) is an international film festival that takes place every November in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. It is the only competitive feature fest ...

: Best Director (''

'') * 2010 63rd Cannes Film Festival:

('' Hahaha'') * 2011 40th

: Return of the Tiger Award (''

Oki's Movie ''Oki's Movie'' () is a 2010 South Korean drama film written and directed by Hong Sang-soo. In a multipart narrative divided into four chapters, Hong fashions a new kind of love triangle. Oki is a young and beautiful college student majoring in fi ...

'') * 2013 66th

: Best Director (''

'') * 2015 68th

: Golden Leopard (''

'') * 2016 64th

San Sebastián International Film Festival The San Sebastián International Film Festival ( SSIFF; es, Festival Internacional de San Sebastián, eu, Donostia Zinemaldia) is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of Donostia-San Sebastián in September, in th ...

: Best Director (''

Yourself and Yours ''Yourself and Yours'' ( ko, 당신자신과 당신의 것) is a 2016 South Korean drama film directed by Hong Sang-soo. The film was screened at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. Plot The plot revolves around the couple Yeong-soo (p ...

'') * 2017

Jerusalem Film Festival The Jerusalem Film Festival ( he, פסטיבל הקולנוע ירושלים, ar, مهرجان القدس السينمائي) is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, It was established in 1984 by the Director of the Jerusal ...

: Best International Film (''

'') * 2017

LA Film Festival The LA Film Festival was an annual film festival that was held in Los Angeles, California, and usually took place in June. It showcased independent, international, feature, documentary and short films, as well as web series, music videos, episod ...

: World Fiction Award (''

'') * 2018

Gijón International Film Festival The Gijón International Film Festival ( ast, Festival Internacional de Cine de Xixón or ''FICXixón'') is an annual film festival held in Gijón, a city in northwest Spain. History The festival's origins date back to 1963. In the beginning i ...

: Winner (''

Hotel by the River ''Hotel by the River'' () is a 2018 South Korean film written and directed by Hong Sang-soo. It premiered at the 71st Locarno Film Festival. Plot Ko Young-Hwan, a published poet, is staying at a hotel on the Han River, where he is visited by ...

'') * 2018

: Best Screenplay (''

'') * 2020 70th

(''

'') * 2021

71st Berlin International Film Festival The 71st annual Berlin International Film Festival took place from 1 to 5 March 2021 as a virtual festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An in-person event has also been tentatively scheduled for June, pending the resolution of the COVID-19 issu ...

Silver Bear for Best Screenplay The Silver Bear for Best Screenplay (german: Silberner Bär/Bestes Drehbuch) is the Berlin International Film Festival's award for achievement in Screenwriting. Winners See also * Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay References Ex ...

(''

Introduction Introduction, The Introduction, Intro, or The Intro may refer to: General use * Introduction (music), an opening section of a piece of music * Introduction (writing), a beginning section to a book, article or essay which states its purpose and g ...

'') * 2021

: Special Jury Award (''

'') * 2022

72nd Berlin International Film Festival The 72nd annual Berlin International Film Festival, usually called the Berlinale took place from 10 to 20 February 2022 in person. On 15 December 2021 the first film of the festival was announced. The festival opened with François Ozon's drama ...

('' The Novelist's Film'')

State honors

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hong, Sang-soo 1960 births Living people Chung-Ang University alumni People from Seoul Silver Bear for Best Director recipients Silver Bear for Best Screenplay winners South Korean film directors South Korean screenwriters