Lee Jang-ho

Lee Jang-ho’s 1974 film Heavenly Homecoming to Stars was one of the most amazing debuts in the history of Korean film. During the 105 days after its premiere, some 465,000 viewers came to see it, a box office record for Korean film at that time. Its tremendous success owed itself to three main factors. First and foremost, the film boldly broke with the cliched framework that prevailed in the melodrama genre and aimed at a love story with a new kind of sensibility. […] Another factor would be the stimulating directing prowess of then newcomer Lee Jang-ho. Lee diverged from the linear, one-track narrative style and experimented with complex plot construction, in the process experimenting with an editing style-making use of what almost seems like jump cuts-that still appears fresh today.” —from “On the Director”

• Kim See-moo, Author