Han Jae-rim (born July 14, 1975) is a South Korean film director. He directed Rules of Dating (2005), The Show Must Go On (2007), The Face Reader (2013), The King (2017), and Emergency Declaration (2021), as well as Netflix Original Series The 8 Show (2024).[1]

Han Jae-rim
Born (1975-07-14) July 14, 1975 (age 49)
Alma materSeoul Institute of the Arts
Occupation(s)Film director,
screenwriter,
producer
Years active2003 to present
Employer(s)Magnum Nine Co., Ltd.
Korean name
Hangul
한재림
Hanja
Revised RomanizationHan Jae-rim
McCune–ReischauerHan Chae-rim

Early life and education

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Han Jae-rim was born on July 14, 1975 in Jeju Province. Han graduated from Jeju National University of Education High School and majored in English Literature at Jeju National University, but dropped out and studied film directing at Seoul Institute of the Arts.[2] Han graduated from Seoul Institute of the Arts in 1998.[3]

Career

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He began his filmmaking career in 2003 as an assistant director and script editor for Min Byung-chun's film Natural City.[3] Han was the runner-up for Best Screenplay at the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) Screenplay Contest in 2003 with To Do or Not to Do, which he had co-written with Go Yoon-hee. Retitled Rules of Dating, it became his directorial debut in 2005.[4] Featuring sexually frank dialogue between teacher colleagues played by Park Hae-il and Kang Hye-jung, the film explored controversial gender politics, sexual harassment and moral relativism in a cynical and unsettling take on the romantic comedy.[5] Rules of Dating drew critical praise and became a sleeper hit with 1.6 million admissions.[6] Han won Best Screenplay at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, along with Best New Director at the Busan Film Critics Awards and the Grand Bell Awards.[7][8]

Han, Kim Jee-woon and Yim Pil-sung then signed on to each shoot a short film for the omnibus Doomsday Book in 2006. Han's segment "The Christmas Gift" was supposed to have been a science-fiction musical retelling of O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi, but it was never shot after financing fell through. The film was later released in 2012, but without Han's involvement (Kim and Yim co-directed the third short with a completely new script).[9]

In 2007, he wrote and directed his second film, The Show Must Go On. Starring Korea's top actor Song Kang-ho as a mid-level gangster dealing with family and work troubles, Han injected off-kilter comedy and pathos into the Korean film noir genre.[10] The Show Must Go On won Best Film at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.[11]

Han entered pre-production for his purported third film, Trace in 2009. Based on the webtoon of the same title, it follows a young man who wakes up from a coma with superpowers after an assault that took his father's life.[12][13] But despite winning the Kodak Award (with a cash prize of US$17,000) at the Busan International Film Festival's Pusan Promotion Plan, Han was unable to secure financing for the US$7.7 million blockbuster, and the project was shelved.[14]

In 2010, Han established film production company Wooju Film Co., Ltd.[15] Six years after his last completed film, Han returned to the big screen in 2013 with period drama The Face Reader.[16] The film delved into the philosophical question whether character determines fate or vice versa, in a story about a Joseon fortuneteller skilled in physiognomy who becomes swept up in court intrigues and power struggles.[17] Again starring Song Kang-ho as the titular character opposite Lee Jung-jae as the ambitious Grand Prince Suyang, The Face Reader scored 9.1 million admissions at the local box office, making it the 13th highest grossing Korean film of all time.[18] It won six trophies at the 50th Grand Bell Awards, including Best Film and Best Director for Han.[19][20]

Han also produced Roh Deok's films Very Ordinary Couple (2013) and The Exclusive: Beat the Devil's Tattoo (2015).[21]

Han wrote the scenario of The King (2017) in just a month. He was preparing for a martial arts film that wasn't going well, so he wrote this story and it came out quickly. The previous investor wanted him to do a martial arts film, but Han decided to write a unique story that he thought would be easier to produce with a distinctive cast. He considered actor Zo In-sung for the lead role, despite initial doubts about his willingness to take on a risky role. However, after meeting Zo, who expressed a genuine desire to have fun with the project without any strategic calculations, Han was impressed by his flexibility and commitment on set. Collaborating with Zo helped Han overcome his prejudice towards good-looking actors.[22]

In 2019, Han change his company name to Magnum Nine Co., Ltd.[15] Magnum Nine was inspired by the photojournalism group Magnum, which established by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa. Han liked their spirit of documenting the world.[23]

Han Jae-rim reunited with Song Kang-ho for the third time and Kim So-jin for the second time in the South Korean disaster film Emergency Declaration, which also stars Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Nam-gil, Im Si-wan, and Park Hae-joon.[24][25] Filming resumed on September 12, 2020, after a postponement due to the COVID-19 resurgence in August 2020 and wrapped on October 24, 2020.[26][27] The film premiered out of competition at the 74th Cannes Film Festival on July 16, 2021 before being released theatrically in South Korea on August 3, 2022. It was screened in various formats, including on a 4DX screen combining 4DX and ScreenX in addition to IMAX.[28][29]

Recurring cast

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Recurring casts in Han's works
Actor
Work
Bae Seong-woo
Rules of Dating
The Show Must Go On  Y
Very Ordinary Couple  Y
The Face Reader  Y  Y  Y
The Exclusive: Beat the Devil's Tattoo  Y  Y  Y
The King  Y  Y  Y
Emergency Declaration  Y  Y  Y
The 8 Show  Y  Y  Y

Filmography

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Film

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Film credits[30]
Year Title Credited as Ref.
English Korean Director Screenplay Producer
2003 Natural City 내츄럴 시티 assistant director script editor No [3]
2005 Rules of Dating 연애의 목적 Yes script editor No [4]
2007 The Show Must Go On 우아한 세계 Yes Yes No [10]
2013 Very Ordinary Couple 연애의 온도 No No Yes [21]
The Face Reader 관상 Yes script editor No [16]
2015 The Exclusive: Beat the Devil's Tattoo 특종: 량첸살인기 No No Yes [21]
2017 The King 더킹 Yes Yes Yes [31]
2021 Emergency Declaration 비상선언 Yes Yes Yes [32]

Web series

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Year Title Credited as Ref.
English Korean Director Screenplay Producer
2024 The 8 Show 머니게임 Yes Yes Yes [33][34]
TBA Delusion [ko] 현혹 Yes Yes No [35]
Exorcism 퇴마록 Yes Yes No [36]

Television commercial

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Year Title Credited as Ref.
English Korean Director Screenplay Producer
2018 70th anniversary of the Jeju 4.3 Incident 4.3사건 70주년 Co-director[a] Yes Yes [37][38]

Accolades

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Emergency Declaration premiered in out of competition at the 74th Cannes Film Festival on July 16, 2021.

Awards and nominations

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Awards and nomination
Award Year Category Recipient Result Ref.
50th Baeksang Arts Awards 2014 Best Film The Face Reader Nominated [39]
6th Busan Film Critics Association Awards 2005 Best Film Rules of Dating Won [40]
Best New Director Won
26th Blue Dragon Film Awards 2006 Best Screenplay Rules of Dating Won [41]
Best New Director Nominated [42][43]
28th Blue Dragon Film Awards 2008 Best Film The Show Must Go On Won [44][45]
34th Blue Dragon Film Awards 2013 Best Film The Face Reader Nominated [46]
Best Director Nominated
38th Blue Dragon Film Awards 2017 Best Film The King Nominated [47]
43rd Blue Dragon Film Awards 2022 Best Director Emergency Declaration Nominated [48]
Buil Film Awards 2022 Best Film Nominated [49]
19th Chunsa Film Art Awards 2014 Best Director The Face Reader Nominated
17th Director's Cut Awards 2017 Special Mention of the Year The King Won
11th Fantasia Film Festival 2007 Screenplay Award The Show Must Go On Won
43rd Grand Bell Awards 2006 Best New Director Rules of Dating Won [50][51]
50th Grand Bell Awards 2013 Best Film The Face Reader Won [19][20]
Best Director Won
54th Grand Bell Awards 2017 Best Film The King Nominated [52]
Best Director Nominated
Best Screenplay Won
Kodak Award at the 12th Busan Promotion Plan (PPP) 2009 Film support Trace Won [53]
Korean Film Awards 2006 Best New Director Rules of Dating Nominated
27th Korean Film Critics Association Awards 2007 Best Picture Award The Show Must Go On Won [54]
Korean Association of Film Critics Awards 2022 Korean Association of Film 10 selections of Kim Hyun-seung Emergency Declaration Won [55]
Korean Film Council (KOFIC) Screenplay Contest 2003 Excellence Award To Do or Not to Do[b] Won [4]
9th Max Movie Awards 2014 Best Poster The Face Reader Won
Best Preview Nominated
1st The Seoul Awards 2017 Best Film The King Nominated
Tokyo International Film Festival 2005 Tokyo Grand Prix Rules of Dating Nominated

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Co-directing with Jeju's born directors Oh Myul and Yang Yun-ho
  2. ^ Co-written with Go Yoon-hee, the film was retitled "Rules of Dating" when it was made.

References

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  1. ^ "Han Jae-rim".
  2. ^ "제주출신 한재림 감독, 영화 「우아한 세계」로 청룡영화제". 제민일보 (in Korean). 2007-11-25. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  3. ^ a b c "HAN Jae-rim". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  4. ^ a b c Lee, Min-a (8 June 2005). "Flirting teachers spice their job with romance". Korea Joongang Daily. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  5. ^ Bertolin, Paolo (26 April 2006). "Korean Films Receive Hot Spotlight at Udine". The Korea Times via Hancinema. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  6. ^ Elley, Derek (28 August 2005). "Review: Rules of Dating". Variety. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  7. ^ "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance wins Best Picture Award". KBS Global. 30 November 2005. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  8. ^ D'Sa, Nigel (26 July 2006). "43rd Crowns King and the Clown". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  9. ^ Elley, Derek (24 October 2012). "Doomsday Book". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 2015-04-23.
  10. ^ a b Kim, Kyu-hyun (29 January 2008). "It's Song Kang-ho's Show All the Way". OhmyNews International. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  11. ^ Paquet, Darcy (25 November 2007). "Korea's Dragons roar for Show". Variety. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  12. ^ D'Sa, Nigel (31 August 2009). "HAN Jae-rim's Super-Hero Project Unveils at Pusan". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2015-04-23.
  13. ^ "2009 Project: Trace". Asian Project Market. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-04-23.
  14. ^ D'Sa, Nigel (22 October 2009). "PPP Awards Announced". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  15. ^ a b "MAGNUM9". m.koreanfilm.or.kr. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
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