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Lee Kyoung-mi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.
Lee Kyoung-mi
Lee in 2016
Born1973 (age 51–52)
Seoul, South Korea
EducationHankuk University of Foreign Studies - Russian
Korea National University of Arts - Filmmaking
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter
Years active2000-present
Spouse
Pierce Conran
​
(m. 2018)​
Korean name
Hangul
이경미
RRI Gyeongmi
MRI Kyŏngmi

Lee Kyoung-mi (Korean: 이경미 Korean pronunciation: [igjʌngmi]; born December 1973) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. She is widely recognized for her distinctive and often darkly comedic storytelling, frequently featuring complex female protagonists. Lee rose to prominence with her critically acclaimed feature directorial debut, Crush and Blush (2008), which earned her the Best New Director and Best Screenplay awards at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. Her notable works also include the mystery thriller The Truth Beneath (2016) and the Netflix series The School Nurse Files (2020).

Early life and education

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Lee Kyoung-mi was born in Seoul. She initially aspired to be a theater actor, but her father, a theater director, strongly opposed her pursuing a degree in theater and film. Despite her wishes, she discovered he had applied to the Russian language department for her university admission, a field growing in popularity due to burgeoning diplomatic relations with Russia. After enrolling, she briefly explored theater classes but withdrew, finding that continuing theater in a collegiate setting prevented her from moving past the disappointment of not entering a theater program. Consequently, she focused on Russian studies, eventually earning a degree from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.[1]

After graduating, Lee worked for three years in a company unrelated to film, where she experienced sexual harassment from her superior.[2] During this challenging period, she joined an online movie club and learned about the Film Academy. She subsequently resigned from her job. In 2004, she enrolled in the School of Film, TV & Multimedia at the Korea National University of Arts. She had initially applied to the Film Academy hoping to transfer to a theater department, as it did not require the CSAT or practical skills unlike other programs. She admitted her naiveté during the entrance exam, not even knowing what a storyboard was at the time.[1]

Her interest to filmmaking began after she saw The Big Blue, watching it five times after a church screening. Prior to this, her only film experiences were Happiness Is Not in Grades and The Peacock King. She debut as director with short film Audition in 2003. Her graduation project, the short film Feel Good Story, which depicts an employee tasked with corporate tax evasion, received several awards on the film festival circuit in 2004.[1][3][4]

Career

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Lee Kyung-mi began her career as an assistant director and scripter on Park Chan-wook's 2005 film Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. The two met at the 3rd Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival, where Park was a judge and Lee won the grand prize for her short film Feel Good Story [ko].[2]

Lee made her feature directorial debut with Crush and Blush (2008), a black comedy about an obsessive teacher and an outcast student who bond over their shared misanthropy; a critic called it "one of those rare films from an up-and-coming auteur that shows both guts and playfulness."[5] It was the first film to be produced by Park Chan-wook.[6] Crush and Blush premiered at the 13th Busan International Film Festival,[7] and was released in theaters on October 16, 2008. Lee won Best New Director and Best Screenplay at the Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2008.[8]

Lee also made special appearances in films directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, such as The Unjust (2010), and The Berlin File (2013).[9][10]

Lee second feature film was the mystery thriller film The Truth Beneath, released on June 23, 2016. She co-wrote the script with Park Chan-wook and Jeong Seo-kyeong, and the film stars Son Ye-jin and Kim Joo-hyuk.[11][12][13] For her direction of The Truth Beneath, Lee received the Best Director award at the 36th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards, and Best Screenplay at both the 17th Women in Film Korea Festival and the 22nd Chunsa Film Awards. The film also won the Audience Award at the 11th Festival du Film Coréen à Paris (FFCP).[14] Lee was also nominated for Best Director and Best New Director at the 25th Buil Film Awards, and for the Grand Prix at the 31st Fribourg International Film Festival, all in 2016.[15] In the same year, Lee was honored with the Gender Equality Culture Person of the Year Award.[16]

In 2018, Lee published an essay collection titled Are You Well? Anything.[2] On December 19, 2018, Netflix announced its plans to produce a six-part adaptation of Chung Serang's 2015 award-winning novel, School Nurse Ahn Eun-young, with Lee directing. Chung Serang co-wrote the series with Lee.[17][18] Produced for Netflix by KeyEast[19] and starring Jung Yu-mi and Nam Joo-hyuk, series The School Nurse Files premiered on Netflix on September 25, 2020.[20]

In 2019, Lee was one of four directors to contribute to Persona, an anthology series released globally on Netflix in April. The series, produced by Mystic Entertainment, stars Lee Ji-eun (IU) in four distinct roles, each interpreted through the unique vision of a different director. Lee directed "Love Set," a short film within the anthology that depicts an intense tennis match between two women, showcasing her distinctive storytelling style alongside works from Yim Pil-sung, Jeon Go-woon, and Kim Jong-kwan.[21]

Lee's most recent work is Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice, a film based on Donald E. Westlake's horror novel The Ax. Lee acted as scriptwriter, adapting the novel with Park, Don McKellar, and Jahye Lee. The film was produced by Park and Back Jisun from Moho Film, and Michèle Ray Gavras and Alexandre Gavras from KG Productions. Miky Lee of CJ Group served as executive producer, with CJ ENM financing the project.[22] No Other Choice will have its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it is nominated for the Golden Lion.[23] It is scheduled for a theatrical release in South Korea in September 2025.

Personal life

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In 2018, Lee married Pierce Conran, an Irish-Swiss film journalist and producer who has been based in Seoul since 2012.[24]

Filmography

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Feature films

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Year Film Credited as Notes
Director Writer Other Roles
2005 Sympathy for Lady Vengeance — — scripter [2]
2008 Crush and Blush Yes Yes music [25]
2010 The Unjust — — actress [9]
2013 The Berlin File [10]
2016 The Truth Beneath Yes Yes — [26][27][28]
2025 No Other Choice — Yes — [29]

Short films

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Year Film Credited as Notes
Assistant director Director Writer
2000 Myoung-suk and Me — Yes —
2001 Lies Yes
Memories Yes
2002 Today's horoscope — — as sound
A Crystal Globe Yes —
2003 Super Morse
Audition — Yes Yes Director's debut, also cinematographer [30]
Radio Dreams — — — as sound
Quick Service — as actress
Feel Good Story — Yes Yes
2009 Timeless — — — as actress
2017 The Lady from 406 — Yes Yes

Television

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Year Title Credited as Note(s) Ref.
Director Writer
2019 Persona
Segment: Love Set 		Yes Yes Netflix anthology series [31][32]
2020 The School Nurse Files Yes co-writer Netflix Original Series [33]

Awards and nominations

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List of awards and nominations received by Lee
Award Year Category Recipients Result Ref
Asiana International Short Film Festival 2004 Grand Prize Feel Good Story Won [34]
Baeksang Arts Awards 2009 Best New Director The Truth Beneath Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
Blue Dragon Film Awards 2008 Best New Director Crush and Blush Won [35][36][8]
Best Screenplay Won
25th Buil Film Awards 2016 Best Director The Truth Beneath Nominated [37]
Best New Director Nominated
Busan Asian Short Film Festival 2004 Camellia Grand Prize Feel Good Story Won [38][39]
17th Busan Film Critics Awards 2016 Best Film The Truth Beneath Won [40]
Cine21 Film Awards 2016 Best Film 3rd place [41]
22nd Chunsa Film Awards 2016 Best Screenplay Won [42]
11th Festival du Film Coréen à Paris (FFCP) 2016 Audience Award Won [14]
31st Fribourg International Film Festival 2016 Grand Prix Nominated [43]
36th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards 2016 Ten Best Films of the Year Won
Best Director Won [44]
Korean Film Awards 2008 Best New Director Crush and Blush Nominated [45][46]
Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival 2004 Best Film in A City of Sadness Feel Good Story Won [2]
Seoul International Women's Film Festival 2004 Grand Prize, People's Choice Award Won [47][48]
Women in Film Korea Festival [ko] 2008 Best Director Crush and Blush Won [49]
Best Screenplay Won
2016 Best Screenplay The Truth Beneath Won [50]

Listicle

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  • Cine 21 Female Filmmaker[51]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Oh, Jeong-yeon (2006-01-13). 발견! 여성감독 기대주들 [4] - 이경미 감독. Cine21 (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2025-07-24. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  2. ^ a b c d e Im, Ji-young (2018-08-16). 이경미 감독의 유쾌한 질문 ‘잘돼가? 무엇이든’ [Director Lee Kyung-mi's cheerful question 'Are you doing well? Anything']. SisaIN (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  3. ^ "잘돼가? 무엇이든". 서울독립영화제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  4. ^ 남동철 (2004-12-31). ", 꼭 보시라, 권하고 싶어졌다". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  5. ^ "The Rising Power of Chungmuro - Rookie Directors". KBS World. 22 October 2008. Archived from the original on 2013-05-24.
  6. ^ Yang, Sung-jin (4 September 2008). "Park makes debut as producer". The Korea Herald via Hancinema. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  7. ^ D'Sa, Nigel (1 October 2008). "Korean World Premieres at PIFF 2008". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  8. ^ a b D'Sa, Nigel (26 November 2008). "Forever Wins Korea's Top Blue Dragon". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  9. ^ a b "'부당거래' 특급 카메오 열전… 이준익 이춘연 황병국 이경미". 매일경제 (in Korean). 2010-11-02. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  10. ^ a b "윤종빈·이경미 감독, '베를린' 카메오 도전…왜? [비하인드 스토리]". m.entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  11. ^ "[Herald Review] Jarring mixmatch of arthouse and thriller". Kpop Herald. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  12. ^ "'The Truth Beneath': Busan Review | Reviews | Screen". screendaily.com. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  13. ^ 장르적인 소재를 뜻밖의 방식으로 다루는 '비밀은 없다'. 3 July 2016.
  14. ^ a b "Paris-Korean Film Festival attracts 13,000 French audiences". 동아일보. Archived from the original on 2025-07-24. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  15. ^ "This year's Fribourg International Film Festival to hinge on ghosts". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema. 2017-03-30. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  16. ^ Kang, Pu-rum (2016-12-21). 이경미 “제 영화에서만큼은 여성이 맘껏 뛰놀았으면….” [Lee Kyung-mi “I hope women can run around freely at least in my movies….”]. Women's Newspaper.
  17. ^ Jung, Seung (December 19, 2018). "Netflix announces Korean original series School Nurse Ahn Eun-young". Netflix Media. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  18. ^ Kim, Tae-woo (December 20, 2018). 정유미가 넷플릭스 드라마 '보건교사 안은영'에 출연한다. Huffington Post Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  19. ^ Moon, Ji-yeon (February 26, 2019). '보이스3'→'보건교사 안은영', 키이스트 2019 제작 라인업 공개. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 26, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  20. ^ Yeo, Ye-rim (December 20, 2018). "'School Nurse' heading to Netflix". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  21. ^ "Popular Korean Singer IU Portrays Four Different Personas in Netflix's Upcoming Korean Anthology". About Netflix. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  22. ^ Roxborough, Scott (2025-06-27). "Mubi Takes Park Chan-Wook's 'No Other Choice' For Multiple Territories, Including U.K., Australia". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  23. ^ "Biennale Cinema 2025 | Eojjeol suga eopda (No Other Choice)". La Biennale di Venezia. 2025-07-14. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  24. ^ "이정범 기자 - '미쓰 홍당무' 이경미, 그의 남편은 13세 연하 영화평론가 콘란". 톱스타뉴스 (in Korean). 8 June 2018.
  25. ^ Cho, Jae-eun (23 September 2011). "Director displays guts and playfulness in her first outing". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  26. ^ "[Herald Review] Jarring mixmatch of arthouse and thriller". Kpop Herald. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  27. ^ "'The Truth Beneath': Busan Review | Reviews | Screen". screendaily.com. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  28. ^ 장르적인 소재를 뜻밖의 방식으로 다루는 '비밀은 없다'. 3 July 2016.
  29. ^ Whittock, Jesse (2025-07-22). "'No Other Choice': Watch Trailer For Park Chan-wook's Latest Film; Release Date Set". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  30. ^ "이경미 누구? …아이유 주연 '페르소나' 감독". 아시아경제 (in Korean). 2019-04-12. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  31. ^ Kim, Hye-soo (November 7, 2018). "IU teases movie 'Persona'". Kpop Herald. Herald Corporation. Archived from the original on February 7, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  32. ^ Dong, Sun-hwa (September 14, 2018). "Singer IU to star in four short films". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  33. ^ Yeo, Ye-rim (December 20, 2018). "'School Nurse' heading to Netflix". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  34. ^ Kang, Pu-rum (2017-10-25). [한국의 여성감독①] 불모지 뚫고 나온 ‘메가폰 든 여성들’ [[Korean Female Directors①] 'Women with Megaphones' Breaking Through the Barren Land]. Women's Newspaper.
  35. ^ D'Sa, Nigel (26 November 2008). "Forever Wins Korea's Top Blue Dragon". Korean Film Council. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  36. ^ "Crush and Blush - Awards". Cinemasie. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
  37. ^ [부일영화상] 시민에게 더 가까이 올해의 별은 누구?. 부산일보 (in Korean). 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  38. ^ "부산 국제 단편 영화제". m.terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  39. ^ "이경미 감독 '잘 돼가?~' 대상 영예". 부산일보 (in Korean). 2004-05-10. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  40. ^ "제17회 부산영화평론가협회상, '비밀은 없다'가 선정". 조선일보 (in Korean). 2020-07-22. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  41. ^ 송경원 (2016-12-19). "[스페셜] 2016 한국영화 베스트5". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  42. ^ "'2017 춘사영화상' 나홍진, 최우수감독상…하정우·손예진 남녀주연상". SE Daily. 25 May 2017.
  43. ^ "The Truth Beneath | Festival International du Film de Fribourg". www.fiff.ch. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  44. ^ [댓글뉴스] 김지운 감독의 , 제36회 한국영화평론가협회상 최우수작품상으로 선정. Cine21 (in Korean). 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  45. ^ Sunhee, Han (2008-12-05). "Korean Film Awards catch 'Chaser'". Variety. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  46. ^ "Korea Film Awards Honor Year's Bests". KBS World. 4 December 2008. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
  47. ^ "Award & Jury: Asian Short Film & Video Competition". The 14th International Women's Film Festival in Seoul. Archived from the original on 2015-04-13. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  48. ^ "Feel Good Story Wins Grand Prize at Women's Film Fest". The Korea Times via Hancinema. 13 April 2004. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  49. ^ Paquet, Darcy (19 December 2008). "Women in Film Korea (WIFK) honor LIM and GONG". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  50. ^ Heo, Sang-wook (2020-07-22). [포토] 이경미 감독, 올해의 여성영화인상 각본상 수상 [[Photo] Director Lee Kyung-mi wins Best Screenplay at the Women in Film of the Year Awards]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  51. ^ 김소미 (2018-10-03). "[여성 영화인들⑧] 아름다운 생존, 한국 여성 영화감독 30인 - 박남옥부터 윤가은까지". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-24.
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