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HWANG Dong-hyuk  
HWANG Dong-hyuk
Director, Executive Producer, Screenwriter, Script Editor

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Gender : Male

Nationality : South Korea

Hwang Donghyuk, born in 1971, lost his father when he was young and was raised by his widowed mother and his grandmother. He first received a master’s degree in journalism in Korea before starting to make short films for himself in the 1990s. Later, he decided to study film production at the University of Southern California. International adoption being a topic close to home since one of his aunts was given up for adoption only to meet her mother 20 years later, Hwang tackled it with his short movie <Miracle Mile> (2005), starring Karl Yune, which earned him an invite to the Cannes Film Festival. His debut feature <My Father> (2007) dealt with a similar topic and received praise from film critics for its subtle and subdued approach to a story that could have easily relied on overused dramatic devices. Hwang made a splash in 2011 with his sophomore effort <Silenced>, which was based on the book of the same name by Gong Jiyoung, a fictionalized account of real-life systematic sexual abuses committed on hearing-impaired children at Gwangju Inhwa School. The idea was first pitched to him by the leading actor himself, Gong Yoo, who had been profoundly moved by the novel. After giving it much thought, Hwang decided to take up the challenge and tried writing a screenplay that would deal with this taboo in a respectful yet uncompromising way, exposing the ills of society that allowed it to happen in the first place and then go unpunished. Not only was the film a critical and commercial success, but it also compelled the authorities to reopen the debate on the penalization of sexual crimes committed on children. This eventually led to the passing of a revised bill, which was nicknamed after the film. In a surprising move, Hwang then decided for his next project to direct a fantasy comedy, a drastic departure from the heavy themes of his earlier films. A tale about a grandmother – inspired by Hwang’s own grandmother – who mysteriously regains the appearance she had when she was in her 20s and therefore manages to reconnect with her family, <Miss Granny> (2013) was a tremendous success, garnering 8.6 million admissions. On top of that, it would later be used by CJ ENM to spearhead its entry into foreign markets, as the Korean major produced local remakes in China, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and India, all helmed by local directors, with further plans for Turkish, US and German versions. Hwang then turned his hand to historical drama when he adapted Kim Hoon’s bestseller novel in <The Fortress> (2017). Following a King Injo besieged by the Manchu as he must decide whether to bow to new rulers, risking the future of the nation, or fight until the end, the film was hailed by the critics and the public alike, scoring a surprising haul of 3.8 million admissions for such a serious topic, and went on to win several awards, including Best Director and Best Film from the Korean Association of Film Critics, and Best Screenplay at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. After that, Netflix finally offered him the opportunity to realize a project he had been working on since 2008 but had been turn down by every producer in Korea: <Squid Game>. Released on the US streaming platform in 2021, the death game series quickly turned into a global sensation, drawing comparison with the international success of <Parasite>, and became one of the most watched shows on Netflix. Not only did he win several awards in Korea, but he also picked up the Emmy Award for Best Directing in Drama Series in a historic first. This success prompted him to start working on a second season, but Hwang is also preparing his next film project, which would be inspired by Umberto Eco’s <Pape Satán Aleppe: Chronicles of a Liquid Society>.
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Filmography

Filmography  
Collectors (2020)
Staff
Filmography  
The Fortress (2017)
Director, Staff
Filmography  
Miss Granny (2014)
Director, Staff
Filmography  
Silenced (2011)
Director, Staff
Filmography  
My Father (2007)
Director, Staff
Filmography  
Miracle Mile (2005)
Director

Related News

  1. ·  Squid Game Actor Lee Jungjae & Director Hwang Donghyuk Won Outstanding Lead Actor & Outstanding Directing at the 74th Emmy Awards
    Sep 13, 2022
  2. ·  Squid Game, Won 2 Awards at Hollywood Critics Association (HCA)
    Aug 19, 2022
  3. ·  Squid Game, 14 Nominations at the Emmy Awards Including Best Drama Series for the First Time in Non-English
    Jul 13, 2022

Related Kofic News

  1. ·  KAFA Holds Film Development Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City
    Aug 29, 2017

Related Reports

  1. ·  An Unexpected Jackpot
    Feb 06, 2018
  2. ·  Box Office: February 20 - March 5, 2014
    Mar 10, 2014
  3. ·  Box Office: February 6-19, 2014
    Feb 24, 2014

Awards and Invitation

  1. · <The Fortress> Buenos Aires Korean Film Festival (2019)
  2. · <The Fortress> Korean Film Festival DC (2019)
  3. · <The Fortress> Chunsa Film Festival (2018) - Best Director
  4. · <The Fortress> Chunsa Film Festival (2018) - Technical Award
  5. · <The Fortress> Paeksang Arts Awards (2018) - Film Awards - Best Film
  6. · <The Fortress> Asian Film Awards (2018) - Best Cinematography - Best Cinematography
  7. · <The Fortress> DAEJONG FILM AWARDS (2018) - Best Music
  8. · <The Fortress> DAEJONG FILM AWARDS (2018) - Best Cinematography
  9. · <The Fortress> Director's Cut Awards (2018) - Special Mention
  10. · <The Fortress> International Film Festival Rotterdam (2018) - Perspectives - A History of Shadows
  11. · <The Fortress> Busan International Film Festival : BIFF (2018) - Korean Cinema Today - Panorama
  12. · <The Fortress> Fantasia International Film Festival (2018) - Selection 2018
  13. · <The Fortress> Washington, DC International Film Festival (2018)
  14. · <The Fortress> DAEJONG FILM AWARDS (2018) - Best Lighting
  15. · <The Fortress> Camerimage International Film Festival (2018) - Main Competition - Golden Frog
  16. · <The Fortress> Busan Film Critics Association Awards (2018) - Special Jury Prize
  17. · <The Fortress> Florence Korea Film Fest (2018) - Opening Film
  18. · <The Fortress> HIFF Spring Showcase (2018)
  19. · <The Fortress> Asian Film Awards (2018) - Best Sound
  20. · <The Fortress> Korean Film Festival in Singapore (2018)
  21. · <The Fortress> Paris Korean Film Festival (2017) - ÉVÉNEMENTS
  22. · <The Fortress> Asian World Film Festival (2017) - Centerpiece Film
  23. · <The Fortress> Filmasia Film Festival (2017)
  24. · <The Fortress> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2017) - Best Editing
  25. · <The Fortress> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2017) - Best Sound
  26. · <The Fortress> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2017) - Best Film
  27. · <The Fortress> The Blue Dragon Awards (2017) - Best Screenplay
  28. · <The Fortress> The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (2017) - Best Director
  29. · <The Fortress> The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (2017) - Best Film
  30. · <The Fortress> The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (2017) - Best Music
  31. · <The Fortress> The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (2017) - Best Cinematography
  32. · <The Fortress> London East Asia Film Festival (2017) - Official LEAFF Selection
  33. · <The Fortress> Frankfurt Korean Film Festival (2017)
  34. · <Miss Granny> Korean Film Festival in Hungary (2015)
  35. · <Silenced> Children's Rights Film Festival (2015)
  36. · <Miss Granny> Maxmovie Best Film Award (2015) - Best Supporting Actress
  37. · <Miss Granny> Beijing International Film Festival (2015) - Panorama
  38. · <Miss Granny> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2014) - Best Actress
  39. · <Miss Granny> Women in Film Korea Festival (2014) - Best Producer
  40. · <Miss Granny> Director's Cut Awards (2014) - Best Actress
  41. · <Miss Granny> Paeksang Arts Awards (2014) - Film Awards - Best Actress
  42. · <Miss Granny> Okinawa International Movie Festival (2014) - Peace - Grand Prize
  43. · <Miss Granny> Chunsa Film Festival (2014) - Best Actress
  44. · <Miss Granny> Korean Film Festival in Singapore (2014)
  45. · <Miss Granny> Seoul Barrier Free Film Festival : SeBaFF (2014)
  46. · <Miss Granny> Buil Film Awards (2014)
  47. · <Miss Granny> Udine Far East Film Festival (2014) - Competition
  48. · <Silenced> Paris Korean Film Festival (2012) - Paysage
  49. · <Silenced> Seoul Barrier Free Film Festival : SeBaFF (2012)
  50. · <Silenced> Fantasia International Film Festival (2012)
  51. · <Silenced> Udine Far East Film Festival (2012)
  52. · <Silenced> The Blue Dragon Awards (2011)
  53. · <Silenced> The Blue Dragon Awards (2011)
  54. · <My Father> Korea Gold Awards Festival (2008) - Best New Actor
  55. · <My Father> Chunsa Film Festival (2008) - Best Supporting Actor
  56. · <My Father> Chunsa Film Festival (2008) - Best New Actor
  57. · <My Father> DAEJONG FILM AWARDS (2008) - Best New Actor
  58. · <My Father> San Diego Asian Film Festival (2008)
  59. · <My Father> The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (2007) - Best New Actor
  60. · <My Father> The Blue Dragon Awards (2007)
  61. · <My Father> KOREA FILM AWARD (2007) - Best New Actor
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