On top of having an impressive film portfolio, he was also a former university professor and the husband of the screenwriter Kim Eun-hee. So, are you curious to know more about the man behind those genius films? If so, scroll down to this article below to find out all the details!
Full Profile of Jang Hang-jun
Name: Jang Hang-jun (장항준) Birthdate: September 17, 1969 Education: Whimoon High School, Seoul College of Arts (Theater/Bachelor of Arts) Occupation: Film director, television director, screenwriter Years active: 2002-present Spouse: Kim Eun-hee Children: 1 daughter Films List: Break Out (2002), Spring Breeze (2003), Spectacle of Life (2007), Manner of Battle (2008), Humans Don’t Die in the Night (2010), Forgotten (2017) Dramas List: Sign (SBS, 2011), Who Are You? (tvN, 2013)
Jang Hang-jun Career Journey as a Director
Jang Hang-jun’s Notable Films and Dramas
Although Jang Hang-jun only had a few film and drama on his name as a director, there is no doubt that his films and drama has been described as iconic. It has been critically acclaimed, on top of being a box office. Check out a few of his notable films and drama below!
2002’s Film, Break Out
Break Out is a 2002 film directed by Jang Hang-jun based on the screenplay of Park Jung-woo. This movie is Jang Hang-jun’s debut as a director and starred Kim Seung-woo and Cha Seung-won as the main characters. On top of that, Jang Hang-jun also starred in his own movie, playing a small role. The movie tells a loser named Bong-gu (Kim Seung-woo), who became a gangster due to a lighter. The film was screened in Korea on July 17, 2002, and successfully generated over 1.3 million viewers. Check out the movie trailer below!
2011’s Drama, Sign
Sign is a 2011 medical drama aired on SBS and starred Park Shin-yang, Kim Ah-joong, Jun Kwang-ryul, Jung Gyu-woon, and Uhm Ji-won. The drama tells the story of an investigation that the forensic doctor conducts to solve a murder case. Yoon Ji-hoon (played by Park Shin-yang) is an expert in medicine in the forensic field and has world-class skills with a striking unique personality. In solving the murder case, Yoon Ji-hoon is assisted by a beautiful woman named Go Da-kyung (Kim Ah-joong). The drama received awards such as the 47th Baeksang Arts Awards, the 4th Korea Drama Awards, and the 19th SBS Drama Awards. The drama also has been remade under the name Sign: Houigakusha Yuzuki Takashi no Jiken (サイン―法医学者 柚木貴志の事件―) that aired on TV Asahi in July 2019. Check out the trailer below!
2017’s Film, Forgotten
Forgotten is a mystery thriller film that aired on Netflix on November 29, 2017. This film is directed and written by Jang Hang-jun and starred various top names such as Kang Ha-neul, Kim Moo-yul, Moon Sung-geun, and Na Young-hee. The film centers around the story of a murder recorded in the memory of Yoo Sook (Kim Moo-yul) who lost his memory. Feeling suspicious, Yoo-sook’s younger brother, Jin Seok (Kang Ha-neul) then tries to trace the tragic incident to Yoo Sook. The movie is notable for its gripping and thrilling sense. Commenting on the thriller genre and the twist ending, Jang Hang-jun said, ” Mainly I wanted to make it very hard to predict the ending. That was the main purpose of making this film. That’s why I used the medium of a thriller. The genre is not the result; it’s more like the medium by which I’m telling these two different stories in the beginning and in the end.” Check out the movie trailer below!
Jang Hang-jun’s Marriage with Screenwriter Kim Eun-hee
Jang Hang-jun married his fellow colleagues, writer Kim Eun-hee (who writes critically acclaimed mystery dramas such as 2019’s Kingdom, 2016’s Signal, and 2011’s Sign) in 1998, one year after the first meeting in 1997 while the two were working as writers on a variety show. Jang Hang-jun is Kim Eun-hee’s senior by three years. Whenever Jang Hang-jun appears in entertainment, he always talks about his wife a lot, as he is proud to be loved by his wife. At that time when Jang Hang-jun’s career was going downhill, Kim Eun-hee’s work becomes successful instead. But her support for his husband was not diminishing. Now, the couple has one daughter together and is still happily married. So, those are all the things that you need to know regarding the Korean top film director, Jang Hang-jun! Which movies of him is your favorite? Share with us in the comment section below!
