Kim Won-seok

Kim Won-seok (Korean: 김원석) is a South Korean television director. He directed Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010), Monstar (2013), Misaeng (2014), Signal (2016), My Mister (2018) and Arthdal Chronicles (2019).

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.
Kim Won-seok
김원석
Born
South Korea
OccupationTelevision director
Years active2001-present
EmployerKBS (2001-2011)
CJ E&M (2011-2016)
Studio Dragon (2016-2019)[1]
Baram Pictures [lower-alpha 1] (2020-present)
Korean name
Hangul
Revised RomanizationGim Won-seok
McCune–ReischauerKim Wŏn-sŏk

Career

Kim Won-seok began his television career in 2001 as an assistant director for the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) network. He was promoted to second unit director in 2005, and honed his skills on series of diverse genres.[3][4] He also directed two episodes for the single-episode anthology Drama City in 2007, GOD[5] (which he co-wrote) and The Dual Accounts Murder.

Kim's first television drama series as the head production director was "fusion" historical drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal in 2010.[6] Based on Jung Eun-gwol's bestselling 2007 novel The Lives of Sungkyunkwan Confucian Scholars, it depicted the friendship and love that develops between four classmates (including a girl disguised as a boy) attending Sungkyunkwan, Joseon's highest educational institute where no women were allowed.[7][8] Despite solid but unspectacular viewership ratings in the mid-teens, Sungkyunkwan Scandal became a cult hit among younger viewers, resulting in increased popularity for its cast Park Min-young, Park Yoo-chun, Yoo Ah-in and Song Joong-ki, and several trophies at the 2010 KBS Drama Awards. Kim won Best New Television Director at the 47th Baeksang Arts Awards, and Best Production Director at the 4th Korea Drama Awards.[9][10]

Kim left KBS and in August 2011, he signed with media conglomerate CJ E&M, which owns cable channels Mnet and tvN.[11] His first project post-move was a 30-minute music video for Superstar K3 starring the reality show's remaining contestants, titled Superstar K3: The Beginning.[12] Then inspired by the American show Glee, Kim directed Mnet's first-ever musical drama, Monstar in 2013.[13] It was Kim's third time to collaborate with screenwriter Kim Tae-hee (after The Dual Accounts Murder and Sungkyunkwan Scandal).[14] Auditions were held, and Kim cast rookie actress Ha Yeon-soo, K-pop singer Yong Jun-hyung and stage actor Kang Ha-neul in the lead roles.[15]

When tvN announced that Kim would next adapt Yoon Tae-ho's webtoon Misaeng (lit. "Incomplete Life") about a former baduk player who becomes an office temp worker at a trading company, it became one of the most anticipated Korean TV series of 2014.[16] The workplace dramedy Misaeng had no A-list stars (its cast was led by Yim Si-wan and Lee Sung-min[17][18][19]), but it struck a chord among viewers and critics, unexpectedly becoming a huge ratings hit for cable and a pop culture phenomenon. Kim said, "As cartoonist Yoon said he had rejected every offer from major broadcasters who wanted to dramatize his cartoon because they wanted to insert a love-hate relationship as dramatic devices for TV version. But I told him we wouldn't do that. We, instead, focused more on life of ordinary people like the original cartoon to give glimpse at office life. [...] I wanted to make a realistic drama about ordinary people."[20][21] Misaeng won the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the 9th Cable TV Broadcasting Awards, while Kim won Best Television Director at the 51st Baeksang Arts Awards, beating nominees from terrestrial channels.[22][23]

Kim next cast Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo and Cho Jin-woong in Signal, based on the real-life unsolved serial rape-murders of ten women in the city of Hwaseong between 1986 and 1991 (the case also inspired Memories of Murder and Gap-dong).[24] In Signal, detectives from the present and the past communicate across time and space through a two-way radio to solve the crimes.[25] The series was a critical and commercial success, and is currently the second highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history.[26] Signal won several awards from award-giving bodies including Best Drama at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards.[27]

From 2016 to 2019, Kim was under Studio Dragon, the production company spun off from CJ E&M. In December 2019, he resigned from the company due to personal reasons.[28]

In January 2020, The JoongAng Ilbo published an exclusive report that stated Kim has joined Kakao M's soon-to-be-launched new drama production subsidiary to be led by former Studio Dragon and CJ E&M executive Park Ho-sik.[29] Seven months later, the company, Baram Pictures, was officially launched.

Filmography

As assistant director

As second unit director

As director

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2011 47th Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Director Sungkyunkwan Scandal Won
4th Korea Drama Awards Best Production Director Won
2015 Cable TV Broadcast Awards Best Director Misaeng: Incomplete Life Won
51st Baeksang Arts Awards Best Director Won
2016 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards Best Director Signal Nominated
9th Korea Drama Awards Best Production Director Nominated
2018 6th APAN Star Awards My Mister Won [30]
2019 55th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Director Nominated [31]

Notes
  1. A subsidiary of Kakao M[2]

References
  1. Studio Dragon to debut on KOSDAQ
  2. http://it.chosun.com/m/svc/article.html?contid=2020080502522
  3. Yoon, Ina (25 March 2010). "KBS Wednesday/Thursday drama Sister of Cinderella - A cruel tale of a sister". 10Asia. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  4. Lee, In-kyung (4 January 2012). "Interview: Jung Yu Mi is More Like Hyang Gi Than She Realizes". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  5. The acronym GOD stands for "Gene on Demand."
  6. Lee, Ji-hye; Kim, Jessica (18 August 2010). "3 keypoints of attraction for TV series SungKyunKwan Scandal". 10Asia. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  7. Oh, Jean (18 August 2010). "K-pop idol Micky flies solo in drama". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  8. Han, Sang-hee (22 August 2010). "Micky's challenge: from idol to actor". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  9. Hong, Lucia (27 May 2011). "Hyun Bin, Lee Byung-hun win top prizes at Paeksang". 10Asia. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  10. "Winners of the 2011 Korea Drama Awards". Korea Tourism Organization. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  11. Lee, In-kyung (24 November 2011). "CJ E&M Reveals It Has Numerous Dramas in the Works". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  12. Lee, Jin-ho (21 October 2011). "Superstar K3's Kim Ye Rim and Jang Bum Joon Getting Married?!". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  13. Hong, Grace Danbi (30 January 2013). "Sungkyunkwan Scandal PD to Direct Mnet Music Drama". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  14. Kim, Jessica (25 November 2011). "SungKyunKwan Scandal PD to create music drama". 10Asia. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  15. Kim, Erika (21 March 2013). "Rookie Ha Yeon Soo Cast as B2ST Yong Jun Hyung's Partner for ′Monstar′". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  16. An, So-hyoun (1 September 2014). "ZE:A's Im Si Wan, Kang Ha Neul, Kang Sora and More Gather for Misaeng Scripts Reading". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 12 October 2014. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  17. "Office grunts clock in at Misaeng'ss press conference". Dramabeans. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  18. Kim, Yena (28 October 2014). "Misaeng How Would They Draw A Reality In Workplaces?". BNTNews. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  19. "Misaeng Director Says Everyone Including Im Si Wan Rejected the Role of Jang Geurae At First". enewsWorld. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  20. Baek, Byung-yeul (11 November 2014). "Misaeng soars in ratings". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  21. Ahn, Sung-mi (12 November 2014). "Misaeng syndrome grips the nation". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  22. "Cable TV Awards: Incomplete Life and producer Na Young-seok sweep awards". Hancinema. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  23. Lee, Hoo-nam; Kim, Hyung-eun (28 May 2015). "Baeksang honors new, veteran stars". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  24. Jones, Julie (20 August 2015). "Misaeng Director Casts Lee Je Hoon In Fantasy Crime Drama". KDramaStars. Retrieved 2015-09-08.
  25. Lim, Jeong-yeo (21 September 2015). "Kim Hye-soo joins star-studded Signal". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  26. ""Oh Hae Young Again" Is Breaking tvN Ratings Records". Soompi. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
  27. Kang, E (3 June 2016). "Dongju And Descendants of the Sun Take Home Grand Prizes At The 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards + Full List Of Winners". Soompi. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
  28. http://www.spotvnews.co.kr/?mod=news&act=articleView&idxno=334670
  29. https://news.joins.com/article/23683363
  30. Park, Pan-seok (October 13, 2018). 이병헌, '미스터 션샤인' 대상 수상..정해인 2관왕(종합)[2018 APAN] [Lee Byung-hun, 'Mr. Sunshine' Grand Prize .. Hae-in Jeong, 2nd Crown (General) [2018 APAN]]. Osen (in Korean) – via Naver.
  31. Yoo, Chung-hee (April 4, 2019). "김서형·염정아·김혜자 등 '백상예술대상' TV부문 최종 후보 공개". Ten Asia (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
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