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Jeong Jin-woo, veteran director, producer, dies at 88

Published: 09 Feb. 2026, 11:55

Director Jeong Jin-woo [YONHAP]

Director Jeong Jin-woo, a key figure in Korean cinema's formative years, has died, according to his family. He was 88.

Jeong passed away at a hospital in Seoul at around 8 p.m. Sunday. He had been hospitalized after a fall while walking his dog about two months ago, and his condition reportedly worsened after he contracted Covid-19.

A leading director in Korean cinema from the 1960s, he is widely credited with helping shape the renaissance of Korean filmmaking.

Jeong made his directing debut with "The Only Son" in 1962. Over the more than 50 films he directed, he became known for innovative storytelling and visual experimentation in works such as "Does Cuckoo Cry at Night" (1980) and "Mugoonghwa-Korean National Flower" (1995).

He was also one of the few Korean directors whose movies received global recognition in the 1970s and 1980s. His film "Long Live the Island Frogs!" competed at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1972, while "The Family Tree" was invited to the 42nd Venice International Film Festival in 1985.

In 1967, he helped found the Korean Film Directors Association and served as chairman of the Motion Picture Artists Association in 1985. Through his production company, Woojin Film, he produced 135 films.

His contributions were recognized internationally when the French government honored him at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 51st Daejong Awards in 2014.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

Yonhap