Jang Hoon
South Korean film director (born 1975)
Jang Hoon
Born (1975-05-04) May 4, 1975 (age 50)
Jeongseon, Gangwon, South Korea
EducationB.Des. (Visual design)
Alma materSeoul National University
OccupationsFilm director, writer, editor
Years active2005–present
Korean name
Hangul
장훈
Hanja
張薰
RRJang Hun
MRChang Hun

Jang Hoon (Korean: 장훈; born May 4, 1975) is a South Korean film director. He directed the films Rough Cut (2008), Secret Reunion (2010), The Front Line (2011), and A Taxi Driver (2017).

Career

2005–2010: Rough Cut and Secret Reunion

Jang Hoon (along with Jang Cheol-soo and Juhn Jai-hong) worked as an assistant director under Kim Ki-duk. His debut film Rough Cut (2008), about a gangster who wants to become an actor and an actor who thinks he is as tough as a gangster, was written and produced by Kim. Rough Cut was much more commercially oriented than Kim's own movies, and the star power of its two leading actors So Ji-sub and Kang Ji-hwan propelled the indie to more than one million admissions, resulting in a profit 10 times its low budget.[1][2]

Jang's second feature, Secret Reunion (2010), benefited from the director's populist sensibility.[3] A story about two intelligence agents, one from South Korea and the other from the North (played by Song Kang-ho and Kang Dong-won, respectively), who approach each other in acts of espionage only to develop an unlikely friendship, the film sold 5.5 million tickets, making it the second highest grossing Korean film of that year.[2]

2011–present: Critical and commercial succes

His third film, The Front Line, was a large-scale war movie that came out during the 2011 summer blockbuster season.[4][5] Starring Go Soo and Shin Ha-kyun, the film was the most well-received among the ample number of Korean War-themed films and TV dramas commemorating the 60th anniversary of the war. Through the guise of a mystery narrative, the film revolved around the story of South and North Korean soldiers carrying out meaningless sacrifices trying to capture a nameless hill.[6][7][8][2] It was selected as South Korea's submission to the 84th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film,[9] but did not make the final shortlist.[10]

Jang became the subject of controversy when former mentor Kim Ki-duk's documentary-style self-portrait Arirang was released. In the Cannes award-winning film, the elder cineaste explicitly criticized him as "a betrayer" after Jang signed with the film production company Showbox/Mediaplex.[11] Regarding the matter, Jang said, "I hope director Kim can find consolation through Arirang. He is a great teacher and I still respect him very much. I feel very sorry as a pupil of his."[4] In 2012 Jang, Kang Hyeong-cheol and E J-yong made short films for Samsung Galaxy Note's ambitious PPL-film project Cine Note starring Ha Jung-woo.[12] Actor Ko Chang-seok has appeared in all four of Jang's feature films in supporting roles.

In May 2025, Jang's upcoming film Canvas of Blood was one of the nine films granted by the Korean Film Council with financial support as part of their “Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support” project.[13] In August 2025, actors Kim Nam-gil and Park Bo-gum were confirmed to star in the film.[14]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Note Ref.
English Korean
2001 Hera Purple 헤라 퍼플 assistant director
2004 Samaritan Girl 사마리아 assistant director
Love, So Divine 신부수업 assistant director
3-Iron 빈집 assistant director
2006 Time 시간 assistant director, assistant editor
2005 The Bow 활 assistant director
2008 Rough Cut 영화는 영화다 director, script editor [1]
2010 Secret Reunion 의형제 director, script editor [3]
2011 The Front Line 고지전 director [4]
2012 Cine Note 시네 노트 "Lost Number" co-director short film [12]
2017 A Taxi Driver 택시 운전사 director [13]
TBA Canvas of Blood director [14]

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Recipient Result Ref.
3rd Asian World Film Festival 2017 Best Film A Taxi Driver Won [15][16][17]
Humanitarian Award Won
54th Baeksang Arts Awards 2018 Grand Prize (Film) Nominated [18]
Best Film Nominated [19]
Best Director (Film) Nominated
32nd Blue Dragon Film Awards 2011 Best Film The Front Line Nominated [20][21]
38th Blue Dragon Film Awards 2017 Best Film Won [22]
Audience Choice Award for Most Popular Film Won
Best Director Nominated [23][24]
20th Buil Film Awards 2011 Best Film Won
26th Buil Film Awards 2017 Best Film A Taxi Driver Won [25]
Audience Award Won
Buil Readers' Jury Award Won
23rd Chunsa Film Art Awards 2017 Best Director Nominated [26]
17th Director's Cut Awards 2017 Special Mentions Won [27]
48th Grand Bell Awards 2011 Best Film The Front Line Won [28][29][30][31][32]
Best Director Nominated
54th Grand Bell Awards 2017 Best Film A Taxi Driver Won [33]
Best Director Nominated
Technical Award Nominated
Best Planning Won
31st Korean Association of Film Critics Awards 2011 Best Film The Front Line Won
Best Director Won
37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards 2017 Top 10 Films A Taxi Driver Won [34]
25th Korea Culture & Entertainment Awards 2017 Best Film Won
Best Director (Film) Won
17th Korea World Youth Film Festival 2017 Favorite Director Won
1st The Seoul Awards 2017 Grand Prize (Film) Nominated [35][36]
14th Udine Far East Film Festival 2012 Audience Award The Front Line Won [37]

Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement
Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
Sisa Journal 2017 Next Generation Leader—Culture, Arts, Sports 10th[note 1] [38]

Notes

  1. ^ Tied with Song Kang-ho

References

  1. ^ a b "The Rising Power of Chungmuro - Rookie Directors". KBS World. 22 October 2008. Archived from the original on 2013-05-24.
  2. ^ a b c "CHANG Hun". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  3. ^ a b Lee, Ji-hye (16 March 2010). "Director Jang Hun's Movie Picks". 10Asia. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  4. ^ a b c Park, Sung-hee (16 June 2011). "The Front Line spotlights the Forgotten War". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  5. ^ Ki, Sun-min (22 July 2011). "Battlefield film begins at war's end". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  6. ^ "Director Jang Hun - The Front Line". Asiance Magazine. 21 January 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  7. ^ Heskins, Andrew (15 March 2012). "On The Front Line: an interview with Jang Hun". EasternKicks. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  8. ^ Conran, Pierce. "Interview: 'The Front Line' Director Jang Hoon". Modern Korean Cinema. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  9. ^ Noh, Jean (2011-08-24). "South Korea submits The Front Line for Oscar race". Screen International. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  10. ^ "9 Foreign Language Films Vie for Oscar". Oscars.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
  11. ^ Lee, Hyo-won (22 May 2011). "Cannes hears out filmmakers angst". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  12. ^ a b Lee, Claire (20 January 2012). "Smartphones help directors look at films from new angles". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  13. ^ a b 신지원 (2025-05-26). "영진위, 중예산 한국영화 9편에 100억 원 지원". YTN (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  14. ^ a b 김, 진석. "[단독]박보검과 김남길… '몽유도원도' 드림 캐스팅(종합)". 마이데일리 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  15. ^ '택시운전사', 美 AWFF 3관왕 '쾌거'…아카데미 주목할까 (in Korean). News1. 2017-11-06. Archived from the original on 2017-11-08. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
  16. ^ "2017 Awff Winners". Archived from the original on 2017-11-08. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
  17. ^ Jon Maala (2017-11-07). "'A Taxi Driver' bags best film plum at Asian World Film Festival". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 2017-11-08. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
  18. ^ 54회 백상 심사 채점 결과 공개, 어떻게 뽑았나(May 8, 2018). Archived from the original on May 8, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  19. ^ 제54회 백상예술대상, TV·영화 각 부문별 수상 후보자 공개. JTBC (in Korean). April 6, 2018. Archived from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  20. ^ Lee, In-kyung (26 November 2011). "The Unjust Wins Top Honors at Blue Dragon Film Awards". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2014-09-04.
  21. ^ Conran, Pierce (25 November 2011). "32nd Blue Dragon Film Awards". Modern Korean Cinema. Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2014-09-04.
  22. ^ "'A Taxi Driver' wins best picture at Blue Dragon Awards". Yonhap News Agency. November 25, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  23. ^ Jon Maala (November 6, 2017). "38th Blue Dragon Film Awards 2017: 'Merciless' tops, 'Taxi Driver' gets 5 nominations (Full List)". IBT Singapore. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  24. ^ Rumy Doo (November 6, 2017). "'Merciless', 'King', 'Taxi Driver' nominated for Blue Dragon awards". The Korea Herald. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  25. ^ "A TAXI DRIVER Tops Buil Film Awards". Korean Film Biz Zone. October 17, 2017. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  26. ^ 제23회 춘사영화제 5월18일 개최..홍상수·김민희 참석하나. Newsen (in Korean). May 3, 2018. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  27. ^ [공식]봉준호·설경구·나문희, 디렉터스컷 어워즈 선정 '올해의 감독·배우상'. Chosun (in Korean). 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  28. ^ Lee, Claire (18 October 2011). "Kim Ha-neul, Park Hae-il get top honors at Daejong Film Awards". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  29. ^ "Korean pic The Frontline wins top prize at 48th Daejong Film Awards". 10Asia. 18 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  30. ^ "48th Daejong Film Awards Highlight Year's Best". The Chosun Ilbo via Korea Tourism Organization. 19 October 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  31. ^ "48th Grand Bell Awards". Dramabeans. 17 October 2011. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  32. ^ Giammarco, Tom (19 October 2011). "The 48th Daejong Film Awards". Seen in Jeonju. Archived from the original on 27 December 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  33. ^ "54th Daejong Film Awards (Grand Bell Awards) 2017". HanCinema. 2017-09-29. Archived from the original on 2017-10-01. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  34. ^ "THE FORTRESS Dominates 37th Korean Film Critics Association Awards". Korean Film Biz Zone. October 30, 2017.
  35. ^ '제1회 더 서울어워즈' 노미네이트 공개, 이보영 지성 김희선 조승우 등 화려한 라인업 공개. Naver. 2017-09-28. Archived from the original on 2017-10-18. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  36. ^ '서울어워즈' 송강호·나문희·지성·박보영 주연상…·'박열'·'비숲' 대상[종합]. TV Report (in Korean). October 27, 2017. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  37. ^ "2 films won Audience Award at Far East Film Festival - The Korea Times". www.koreatimes.co.kr. 2012-04-30. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  38. ^ "[2017 차세대 리더-문화·예술·스포츠①] 세계적 스포츠 행정가 꿈 키우는 김연아와 박지성" [[2017 Next Generation Leaders-Culture, Arts, Sports①] Kim Yuna and Park Ji-sung dream of becoming world-class sports administrators]. Sisa Journal (in Korean). 2017-10-24. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jang_Hoon&oldid=1328753895"