Min Kyu-dong

Career

Min Kyu-dong studied economics at Seoul National University, and upon graduation, he entered the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA). In 1999 Min made his first feature Memento Mori, alongside KAFA classmate and co-director Kim Tae-yong. Considered the most influential Korean horror film of the 2000s, Memento Mori has attained a modern-day classic status among Korean cinephiles.

After pursuing further film studies in France, Min returned in 2005 with his sophomore effort and solo directorial debut All for Love. Similar to Robert Altman's Short Cuts and Richard Curtis's Love Actually, Min utilized a large ensemble cast to weave a multitude of stories into a single narrative. About a diverse group of couples and singles who experience love or tragedy in the span of one week in Seoul (the Korean title translates to "The Most Beautiful Week of My Life"), the film was a box office success.

In 2008, Min explored homosexual eroticism in Antique, a screen adaptation of the popular Japanese manga Antique Bakery by Fumi Yoshinaga. The film, about four pretty boys with hidden pasts working in a French pastry shop, was invited to the Berlin International Film Festival.

For his segment in the 2009 omnibus film Five Senses of Eros, Min continued his fascination with queer cinema. Using illusive and phantasmal cinematography, he brought a more experimental and dramatically edgy take on two women involved in a mild S&M relationship after the death of the man they both loved. A feature-length director's cut of In My End Is My Beginning was later screened at the 2009 Busan International Film Festival, then released in theaters in 2013.

Based on the semi-autobiographical TV series by writer Noh Hee-kyung (previously adapted into a novel and a stage play, the Korean title translates to "The Most Beautiful Goodbye/Farewell in the World"), Min confessed that he "cried a lot while writing the screenplay" of The Last Blossom. A moving story of a devoted mother diagnosed with a terminal illness whose family comes together for the first time to give her the support they've always denied her, the film received rave reviews from moviegoers and critics for its delicate depiction of family love.

In 2012, Min wrote and directed a remake of the Argentinean film Un novio para mi mujer ("A Boyfriend for My Wife"), which centers on a timid husband who hires a professional Casanova to seduce his seemingly perfect but fearsome wife. The romantic comedy All About My Wife became Min's biggest commercial hit yet.

Inspired by the Arabian Nights, Min directed the wrap-around sequences that "introduce" each segment by bridging the four short films of omnibus Horror Stories with a tale about a kidnapper who can go to sleep only when he listens to scary stories from his young female victim. Horror Stories was the opening film of the 2012 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. For the sequel Horror Stories 2, Min again directed the wrap-around sequences, this time structured around three mysterious insurance claim cases.

In 2015, Min directed the period drama The Treacherous (2015), set during the reign of Joseon king Yeonsan, considered the cruelest tyrant in Korean history. Min said he had always been interested in historical events, and that he wanted to talk about current social issues through them; he also said he wanted to feature Yeonsan from a new perspective by focusing on the relationship between the king and "treacherous subjects who wear the mask of faithfulness."

In 2020, he created the anthology science fiction project SF8.

In 2025, Min helmed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 30th Busan International Film Festival.

Personal life

Min is married to Hong Ji-young, director of The Naked Kitchen.

Filmography

Feature film

Short film

Television

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

References

1. Paquet, Darcy. (23 May 2007). "An Interview with Kim Tae-yong". Koreanfilm.org.
2. Paquet, Darcy. "All for Love". Koreanfilm.org.
3. "Antique". Finecut.
4. Han, Sang-hee. (20 January 2009). "Film Antique to Visit Berlin Film Festival". [[The Korea Times]].
5. Lee, Hyo-won. (2 July 2009). "5 Directors Explore Sensuality in Eros". [[The Korea Times]].
6. Shin, Hae-in. (1 July 2009). "A mixed bag of pleasures in omnibus Eros film". [[Yonhap]].
7. Elley, Derek. (27 October 2009). "In My End is My Beginning". [[Variety (magazine).
8. Kim, Hyun-min. (22 March 2013). "Fatal Love, Hatred and Sympathy - In My End Is My Beginning". Korean Film Council.
9. Cha, Hyo-jin. (6 May 2011). "The Most Beautiful Farewell in the World". Worldyan News.
10. Ki, Sun-min. (19 May 2011). "Portrait of iconic mother still resonates". [[Korea JoongAng Daily]].
11. Jung, Hyun-mok. (11 June 2012). "Director Min Kyu-dong says it's all about communication". [[Korea JoongAng Daily]].
12. Lee, Hye-ji. (20 July 2012). "PREVIEW: ''Horror Stories'' Return of authentic Korean horror film". 10Asia.
13. Kwaak, Je-yup. (18 July 2012). "Horror takes stage as PiFan opens". [[The Korea Times]].
14. Jang, Sung-ran. (13 May 2013). "Return of Horror Film Geniuses, HORROR STORIES 2". Korean Film Council.
15. Baek, Byung-yeul. (19 April 2015). "Historical film tells story of Joseon tyrant".
16. (April 1, 2020). "From Moon So-ri to Hani, Drama and Movie Blending Project "SF8" is Gathering Its Troops". [[HanCinema]].
17. Shackleton, Liz. (April 30, 2025). "Busan International Film Festival Launches Competition Section; Overhauls Programming Team".
18. (1 May 2009). "Hong Ji-young Looks on the Brighter Side of Adultery". [[The Chosun Ilbo]].
19. Economou, Vassilis. (16 January 2025). "Berlinale Special expands its selection with diverse new additions".
20. Ji, Yong-jin. (4 December 2012). "PIETA Wins Best Picture at Blue Dragon Awards". Korean Film Council.
21. Hicap, Jonathan M.. (5 April 2013). "49th Baeksang Arts Awards nominees revealed". [[Manila Bulletin]].
22. link. (October 22, 2018)
23. link. (November 1, 2018)
24. Kim Na-yeon. (October 21, 2025). "46회 청룡영화상 최종 후보 공개..'어쩔수가없다' 12개 부문 노미". Naver.