Through The Chaser (2008), The Yellow Sea (2010), and The Wailing (2016), he has developed a distinctive narrative voice and a powerful cinematic style. Combining visceral genre thrills with weighty themes and pushing familiar conventions in unpredictable directions, his fourth feature, HOPE, depicts how human misunderstanding and ignorance spiral into uncontrollable tragedy, unfolding on an overwhelming scale and with relentless momentum. HOPE was selected for Competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it received strong acclaim.
