Sitting across from Park Chan-wook in a sunlit hotel suite, it is easy to forget that you are in the presence of one of cinema’s most provocative visual minds. The South Korean master, whose filmography spans gothic romance, revenge thrillers, and espionage dramas, is in a reflective mood as he discusses his latest work and the evolution of his craft over three decades.
On Finding New Stories
“Every film I make, I worry it will be the last time I feel genuine excitement about a project,” Park says, adjusting his trademark round glasses. “And every time, something arrives that makes me feel like a student again. The moment I stop feeling that curiosity, I will stop making films.”
His new project, which premiered to rapturous reviews at a recent festival, represents a departure in several ways. It is his first English-language film shot entirely in the United States, and it tackles contemporary themes of surveillance and digital identity that feel markedly different from the period settings of his recent work.
“The technology changes, but the human impulses remain constant,” he explains. “Jealousy, obsession, the desire to control another person. These are themes I have explored throughout my career. Now I am exploring them through a modern lens, literally and figuratively.”
Working With American Actors
The director speaks warmly about the experience of working with an American cast and crew, noting both the challenges and unexpected pleasures of the collaboration. Language barriers, he says, proved less significant than anticipated, partly because his visual communication style transcends verbal instruction.
“I draw extensively on set. Every morning, I arrive with new sketches showing actors not just where to stand, but how their emotions should feel in relation to the space around them. American actors were very receptive to this approach. Several told me they had never been directed this way before.”
The State of Korean Cinema
When asked about the current state of Korean cinema following its global breakthrough, Park is characteristically measured. He celebrates the success of his contemporaries while cautioning against the homogenizing pressures that international attention can bring.
“The danger is that Korean filmmakers begin making films for an imagined global audience rather than telling the stories that feel urgent and true to them,” he says. “The films that broke through internationally succeeded precisely because they were unapologetically Korean. We must not forget that.”
Looking Forward
As the conversation winds down, Park reveals he has already begun writing his next project, which he describes only as “a love story, but not the kind anyone expects from me.” Given his track record, that qualifier alone is enough to make it one of the most anticipated films on the horizon.
