Jang Joon-hwan

Jang Joon-hwan
장준환
Jang in 2017
Born (1970-01-18) January 18, 1970
Jeonju, South Korea
EducationSungkyunkwan University
OccupationsFilm director, screenwriter
Years active1994–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2006)​
Children1
Korean name
Hangul
장준환
Hanja
張駿桓
RRJang Junhwan
MRChang Chunhwan

Jang Joon-hwan (Korean: 장준환; born January 18, 1970) is a South Korean film director. He is known for his science fiction film Save the Green Planet! (2003), earning him Best Director at the 4th Busan Film Critics Awards, and the Special Silver St. George for Best Director at the 25th Moscow International Film Festival.

Early life and education

Jang enrolled at Sungkyunkwan University as an English literature major after failing to gain admission to the physics department. He described his major as profound but difficult to grasp. During his senior year of college, Jang experienced a period of intense frustration and sought an outlet by joining a university film club. This experience fostered a meaningful interest in the medium, leading him to enroll in the Korean Academy of Film Arts in 1994, where he began his formal relationship with filmmaking.[1]

Jang's first directing job was on the 1994 short film 2001 Imagine. It was his graduation project, completed as part of the Korean Academy of Film Arts' one-year curriculum, originated from a single, persistent image: a man delusional enough to believe he is a giant confessing this to his mother. By incorporating themes involving John Lennon and Yoko Ono, he developed this concept into a short film that garnered critical acclaim at the Clermont-Ferrand, San Francisco, and Vancouver Film Festivals.[1][2][3][4][5]

Career

Career beginning

After graduating in 1995, Jang spent two years as a teaching assistant at the academy. While the role provided a modest salary, he eventually found the work stagnant. During this period, he served as a cinematographer for Ryoo Seung-wan's short film Transmutated Head (1996). His creative focus during this time shifted toward Fart Man, an ambitious script about a man whose flatulence grants him destructive superpowers. Although it became his primary candidate for a debut feature, the project was ultimately shelved due to its requirement for a massive production scale.[1]

In 1997, after concluding his role as a teaching assistant, Jang transitioned into the professional film industry after being recruited by Bong Joon-ho to join the production team for Park Ki-yong's Motel Cactus. This experience was pivotal for Jang, allowing him to establish professional networks. Several individuals he collaborated with on Motel Cactus would later become key creative partners for his debut feature, Save the Green Planet!: producer Cha Seung-jae (then CEO of Uno Film), cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, and assistant director Kim Jong-hoon.[1]

Feature-length film debut

After a brief, three-month stint working on a screenwriting project in Canada in 1999, he returned to Korea to focus on his directorial debut. In the spring of 2000, he conceived the premise for what would become his feature-length debut, Save the Green Planet! (2003). The film is widely regarded as one of the most unique and original works in the history of Korean cinema.[6] Upon its release, it earned critical acclaim, securing Jang the Best Director award at the 4th Busan Film Critics Awards, and the Special Silver St. George for Best Director at the 25th Moscow International Film Festival.[7]

He directed two more short films Hair (2004), and Love for Sale (2010, as part of the omnibus Camellia, about the past, present and future of the city Busan). Then, in 2013, Jang's long-awaited second feature film was released, a revenge thriller titled Hwayi: A Monster Boy.[8][9][10]

In 2017, he directed a political thriller film titled 1987: When the Day Comes. The film was a critical and commercial success, and won Best Director and Best Film at the 9th KOFRA Film Awards, as well as Best Film at the 39th Blue Dragon Film Awards.

Bugonia

In May 2020, Jang was set to direct an English-language remake of his film Save the Green Planet!, with Will Tracy adapting the screenplay.[11] However, Jang later stepped down as director due to health problems, although he remained an executive producer on the project.[12] By February 2024, it was revealed that Yorgos Lanthimos would replace Jang as director.[13] By October 2024, the film was retitled Bugonia, prior to being scheduled for a limited release in the United States on October 24, 2025, before a wide release on October 31.[14][15]

Personal life

Jang married actress Moon So-ri on December 24, 2006.[16]

Filmography

Film credits of Jang
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
English Korean
1994 Incoherence 지리멸렬 Lighting Short film [17]
2001 Imagine 2001 이매진 Director, Screenplay, Cast Short film
Sounds from Heaven and Earth 하늘소리 땅소리 Cinematography Short film
The Love of a Grape Seed 포도 씨앗의 사랑 Cinematography Short film
1996 Boong-boong Cinematography Short film
Transmutated Head 변질헤드 Cinematography Short film
1997 Motel Cactus 모텔 선인장 Assistant Director
1999 Phantom: the Submarine 유령 Screenplay
2003 Save the Green Planet! 지구를 지켜라! Director, Screenplay [18]
2004 Hair 털 Director, Screenplay Short film
2006 Two or Three Things I Know about Kim Ki-young 감독들, 김기영을 말하다 Cast Documentary
2010 Love for Sale (segment from Camellia) 카멜리아 Director Omnibus film
2012 Waiting for Jang Joon-hwan 장준환을 기다리며 Cameo Short film
2013 Hwayi: A Monster Boy 화이 Director [19][20][21][22]
2017 1987: When the Day Comes 1987 Director [23]
The Running Actress 여배우는 오늘도 Actor
2025 Bugonia Executive producer [24]

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations
Award Year Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
8th AACTA Awards 2018 Best Asian Film 1987: When the Day ComesNominated [25]
9th Annual Film of the Year Awards 2018 Best Picture Won
Best Director Won
54th Baeksang Arts Awards Grand Prize (Daesang)Won [26][27][28]
Best FilmNominated
Best DirectorNominated
27th Buil Film Awards Best FilmNominated [29][30]
Best DirectorNominated
24th Blue Dragon Film Awards 2003 Best New Director Jang Joon-hwan Won
39th Blue Dragon Film Awards 2018 Best Film 1987: When the Day ComesWon [31]
Best DirectorNominated
4th Busan Film Critics Association Awards 2003 Best New Director Jang Joon-hwan Won
22nd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival 2004 Golden Crow Statue Save the Green Planet! Won
CinemAsia Film Festival 2018 Best Director 1987: When the Day ComesWon [32]
11th Chunsa Film Awards 2003 Best New Director Jang Joon-hwan Won
23rd Chunsa Film Art Awards 2018 Best Director 1987: When the Day ComesNominated [33]
18th Director's Cut Awards 2018 Director of the Year AwardWon [34]
Special Mention of the Year Won
38th Golden Cinematography Awards 2018 Best Picture Award Won [35]
Best Director Won
40th Grand Bell Awards 2003 Best New Director Save the Green Planet! Won
2nd Korea Film Awards 2003 Best New Director Won
55th Grand Bell Awards Best Film 1987: When the Day ComesNominated [36][37]
Best DirectorWon
9th KOFRA Film Awards 2018 Best FilmWon [38]
2018 Best DirectorWon
38th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards 2018 Best FilmWon [39]
Top 11 FilmsWon
5th Korean Film Producers Association Awards 2018 Best FilmWon [40]
3rd Marie Claire Film Festival 2014 Pioneer Award Jang Joon-hwan Won
25th Moscow International Film Festival 2003 Best Director Save the Green Planet! Won
13th Paris Korean Film Festival 2018 Best Feature Film 1987: When the Day Comes Won
36th Today's Young Artist Award 2004 Award Jang Joon-hwan Won
2nd The Seoul Awards 2018 Best Film 1987: When the Day ComesNominated [41]
18th Udine Far East Film Festival 2018 Audience AwardWon
Black Dragon Audience AwardWon

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 이혜정 (2003-03-21). "장준환과 탄생기 [1]". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-07-19.
  2. ↑ 이혜정 (2003-03-21). "장준환과 탄생기 [2]". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-07-19.
  3. ↑ 씨네21 (2003-03-21). "장준환과 탄생기 [3]". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-07-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ 씨네21 (2003-03-21). "장준환과 탄생기 [4]". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-07-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ 씨네21 (2003-03-21). "장준환과 탄생기 [5]". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-07-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ "JANG Joon-hwan". Korean Film Council. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  7. ↑ "25th Moscow International Film Festival (2003)". MIFF. Archived from the original on 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
  8. ↑ Baek, Jong-hyun (18 January 2013). "Meet the Monster in HWAYI". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2020-09-17. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
  9. ↑ Tae, Sang-joon (4 September 2013). "JANG Joon-hwan Returns with HWAYI". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2013-12-21. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  10. ↑ Hwang, Hei-rim (30 September 2013). "JANG Joon-hwan Returns". Korean Cinema Today. Archived from the original on 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
  11. ↑ Brzeski, Patrick (May 7, 2020). "Korean Cult Hit Save the Green Planet! Set for Remake from CJ Entertainment, Ari Aster's Square Peg". The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  12. ↑ Hall, Rachel (2024-11-04). "Korean cinema in 'precarious period' due to Netflix, says Jang Joon-hwan". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
  13. ↑ Keslassy, Elsa; Frater, Patrick (February 19, 2024). "Yorgos Lanthimos Sets Remake of Korean Fantasy Film Save the Green Planet with Poor Things Producer Element Pictures (Exclusive)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  14. ↑ Park, Soomee (October 4, 2024). "'Bugonia': How Ari Aster, 'Succession' Writer Will Tracy and Yorgos Lanthimos Came Together to Remake a Korean Sci-Fi Classic". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  15. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 1, 2025). "Emma Stone & Jesse Plemons Movie 'Bugonia' From Yorgos Lanthimos Sets Fall Release". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 1, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Actress, Director to Wed on Christmas Eve". The Chosun Ilbo. 1 December 2006. Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  17. ↑ 장준환 [Jang Junhwan]. Cine21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-07-19.
  18. ↑ Wallace, Kali (2024-12-11). "Save the Green Planet! — A Brutal, Slapstick Descent Into Humanity's Madness". Reactor. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  19. ↑ Frater, Patrick (12 December 2012). "Hwayi marks return for Kim, Jang". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on 2012-12-17. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  20. ↑ Lee, Hye-ji (3 May 2013). "Yeo Jin-goo's New Film Cranks Up". TenAsia. Archived from the original on 21 December 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
  21. ↑ Tae, Sang-joon (4 September 2013). "JANG Joon-hwan Returns with HWAYI". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2013-12-21. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  22. ↑ Hwang, Hei-rim (30 September 2013). "JANG Joon-hwan Returns". Korean Cinema Today. Archived from the original on 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
  23. ↑ "1987 (1987: When the Day Comes)". Cine21. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2017-11-11.
  24. ↑ Rooney, David (2025-08-28). "'Bugonia' Review: Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons Battle Over Doomed Humanity in Yorgos Lanthimos' Loopy Dark Comedy About Our Planet in Peril". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
  25. ↑ Frater, Patrick (3 October 2018). "'Shoplifters,' 'Newton,' 'Youth' in the Running for AACTA Asian Film Award". Variety. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  26. ↑ 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.
  27. ↑ "Baeksang Arts Awards recognize 'Stranger,' '1987'". The Korea Herald. May 4, 2018. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  28. ↑ "'1987' shines at Baeksang awards: The annual ceremony honors the best works in local film and television". Korea JoongAng Daily. May 5, 2018. Archived from the original on March 1, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  29. ↑ "[23회 부산국제영화제] 부일영화상". Busan Daily (in Korean). 20 September 2018.
  30. ↑ 5관왕 '공작', '허스토리'와 함께 부산 품었다(종합) [27회 부일영화상]. MK Sports (in Korean). 5 October 2018. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  31. ↑ "청룡영화상 후보 발표, '1987' 최다·'공작'도 9개부문 후보". Newsen (in Korean). November 1, 2018. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  32. ↑ "Four Korean Films Invited to CinemAsia Film Festival". Korean Film Biz Zone. Archived from the original on 2022-04-09. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  33. ↑ "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.
  34. ↑ 감독이 뽑은 감독, 장준환 (디렉터스컷 어워즈). KBS Star (in Korean). 2018-12-17. Retrieved 2026-07-19.
  35. ↑ 황금촬영상영화제, 연기대상 ‘이병헌’ 최고인기상 여자부문 ‘문소리’ 등. 문화뉴스 (in Korean). 2018-12-07. Archived from the original on 2019-12-09. Retrieved 2026-07-19.
  36. ↑ 제55회 대종상, 각 부문 후보 공개…'공작' 12개 최다부문 노미네이트. Seoul Sports (in Korean). 21 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  37. ↑ "'Burning' wins best picture at Daejong Film Awards". Yonhap News Agency. 22 October 2018. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  38. ↑ "'1987' chosen by film reporters as the best film of 2017". Yonhap News Agency. January 30, 2018. Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  39. ↑ "[공식]이성민·한지민 '영평상' 남녀주연상…'1987' 작품상". Sports Chosun (in Korean). October 22, 2018. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  40. ↑ "주지훈·한지민, 한국영화제작가협회상 남녀주연상 영광". Newsen (in Korean). 11 December 2018. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  41. ↑ "'제2회 더 서울어워즈' 10월27일 개최, 드라마-영화 각 부문별 후보공개". iMBC (in Korean). September 28, 2018. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
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