Jang Joon-hwan
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1970-01-18
    • Born Place: Jeonju, North Jeolla, South Korea
  • Also Known As:

    Joon-Hwan Jang, 장준환, Jang Joon Hwan

Jang Joon-hwan

Jang Joon-hwan is a South Korean film director and screenwriter known for his unique and genre-bending cinematic style. Born in 1970, he graduated with a degree in English literature before studying at the Korean Academy of Film Arts. He first gained international recognition with his 2003 feature-length directorial debut, Save the Green Planet!, which he also wrote. The film, a darkly comedic and surreal mix of science fiction, thriller, and horror, became a cult classic and established him as a distinctive voice in Korean cinema. Despite its critical acclaim, the film was a box office failure, which led to a long hiatus before his next feature.After a nearly 10-year break from directing, Jang made a successful comeback with the crime thriller Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013). He then directed the critically and commercially acclaimed political historical drama 1987: When the Day Comes (2017), which earned him numerous awards, including the Best Director prize at the Daejong Film Awards. Jang is married to actress Moon So-ri, and he is the original creator of the story that was remade into the 2025 Yorgos Lanthimos film, Bugonia.

Person History