Lee Byung-hoon (born October 14, 1944) is a South Korean

television director A television director is in charge of the activities involved in making a television program or section of a program. They are generally responsible for decisions about the editorial content and creative style of a program, and ensuring the prod ...

and producer. Lee is best known for directing period dramas, notably ''500 Years of Joseon'' (1983–1990), '' Hur Jun'' (1999), '' Dae Jang Geum: Jewel in the Palace'' (2003) and '' Dong Yi'' (2010).

Career

Lee Byung-hoon began working for broadcasting network MBC in 1970, and made his solo directorial debut in 1974. In 1983, he and writer Shin Bong-seung created the landmark eight-year-long series ''500 Years of Joseon'', which shifted the genre of historical/

period drama A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in the past, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents history, historical events and characters with varying degrees of fiction s ...

s (called ''sageuk'' in

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...

) from monotonous historical chronicles into the interpretation of bonafide records like the

Annals of the Joseon Dynasty The ''Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty'', sometimes called ''sillok'' () for short, are state-compiled and published records, called Veritable Records, documenting the reigns of the kings of the Joseon dynasty in Korea. Kept from 1392 to ...

. His follow-up, Kim Jung-soo-penned contemporary drama ''My Mother's Sea'' (1993) was also popular, with a peak viewership rating of 51.6%. But in 1999 Lee revolutionized the ''sageuk'' genre with '' Hur Jun'', the first Korean period drama to focus on a "commoner" historical figure instead of royalty and powerful nobles.

Jun Kwang-ryul Jun Kwang-ryul (; born February 11, 1960) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the television series '' Hur Jun'', '' Jumong'' and '' Bread, Love and Dreams''. Filmography Television series *'' Jinxed at First'' (2022) ...

played

Heo Jun Heo Jun (; 1539 – October 9, 1615) was a Korean physician who served as the royal chief physician of the Naeuiwon during the reigns of King Sejong (1597–1608) and King Gwanghaegun (1608–1623) of the Korea dynasty. Biography Childho ...

, a

court physician A court is an institution, often a government entity, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and administer justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law. Courts genera ...

who wrote ''

Dongui Bogam The ''Dongui Bogam'' (; translated as "Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine") is a Korean book compiled by the royal physician, Heo Jun and was first published in 1613 during the Joseon period of Korea. The book is regarded as important in ...

'', one of the pillars of

traditional Korean medicine Traditional Korean medicine (known in North Korea as Koryo medicine) refers to the forms of traditional medicine practiced in Korea. History Korean medical traditions originated in ancient and prehistoric times and can be traced back as far as ...

. ''Hur Jun'' reached record-breaking viewership ratings of 64% (fourth highest rated

Korean drama Korean drama (), also known as K-drama or Koreanovela, refers to Korean language, Korean-language television shows made in South Korea. These shows began to be produced around the early 1960s, but were mostly consumed domestically until the rise ...

of all time). This was followed by '' Sangdo'' in 2001, an adaptation of the Choi In-ho novel about legendary merchant Im Sang-ok, and Lee again cast Jun in the leading role. Journalists coined the term "fusion ''sageuk''" for Lee's attempts to revitalize the genre, transforming the previous lack of accessibility and narrative cliches of period dramas with its viewership of older, male armchair historians, into something more appealing to an increasingly younger demographic of viewers. ''Sageuk'' further rose to prominence in 2003 with ''

Dae Jang Geum ''Jewel in the Palace'' () is a 2003 South Korean historical drama television series directed by Lee Byung-hoon. It first aired on MBC from September 15, 2003, to March 23, 2004, where it was the top program with an average viewership rati ...

'' (also known as ''Jewel in the Palace''), whose protagonist

Jang Geum Jang-geum (fl. early 16th century) was reputedly the first female Royal Physician in Korean history. She was mentioned 10 times in the ''Annals of the Joseon Dynasty''. It is known that King Jungjong was pleased with Jang-geum's medical knowle ...

first trains in

Korean royal court cuisine Korean royal court cuisine was the style of cookery within Korean cuisine traditionally consumed at the court of the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled Korea from 1392 to 1897. There has been a revival of this cookery style in the 21st century. It is sa ...

before becoming Joseon's first female court physician. Domestically, ''Dae Jang Geum'' was a big hit, receiving a peak viewership rating of 57.8% (tenth highest rated Korean drama of all time). Produced for , it was later exported to 91 countries and became one of the major proponents of the

Korean Wave The Korean Wave, or ''hallyu'' (; ), is a cultural phenomenon in which the global popularity of South Korean popular culture has dramatically risen since the 1990s. Worldwide interest in Korean culture has been led primarily by the spread of K-p ...

, earning worldwide, and turning actress

Lee Young-ae Lee Young-ae (; born January 31, 1971) is a South Korean actress. She is known for her appearances in the Korean historical drama ''Dae Jang Geum'' (2003), and as a revenge-seeking single mother in Park Chan-wook's crime thriller film ''Lady V ...

into a superstar in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

and an icon for Korean culture. Lee continued directing hit period dramas in succeeding years. ''

Ballad of Seodong ''Ballad of Seodong'' () is a South Korean television series starring Jo Hyun-jae, Lee Bo-young, and Ryu Jin. It aired on SBS from September 5, 2005 to March 21, 2006 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 55 episodes. The period drama is base ...

'' (2005) is about King Mu of

Baekje Baekje or Paekche (; ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BCE to 660 CE. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. While the three kingdoms were in separate existence, Baekje had the h ...

who falls for Princess Seonhwa of the rival kingdom

Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...

(played by Jo Hyun-jae and

Lee Bo-young Lee Bo-young (; born January 12, 1979) is a South Korean actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. She is best known for starring in the Korean drama, television dramas ''Seoyoung, My Daughter'' (2012–2013), ''I Can Hear Your Voice'' (2 ...

). '' Yi San'' (2007) revolved around the love story of

King Jeongjo Jeongjo (; 28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800), personal name Yi San (), sometimes called Jeongjo the Great (), was the 22nd monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyŏng, and succeeded ...

and his concubine

Ui-bin Seong Royal Noble Consort Ui of the Changnyeong Seong clan (; 6 August 1753 – 4 November 1786) was the beloved consort of King Jeongjo of Joseon and the mother of Crown Prince Munhyo. Biography Early life The future Royal Consort was born on Augus ...

(played by

Lee Seo-jin Lee Seo-jin (born January 30, 1971) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for the reality shows '' Three Meals a Day'' and '' Grandpa Over Flowers''. As an actor, he came to prominence with his leading roles in television series '' Damo'' ( ...

and

Han Ji-min Han Ji-min (; born November 5, 1982) is a South Korean actress. After minor roles in ''All In (TV series), All In'' (2003) and ''Dae Jang Geum'' (2003–2004), Han had her breakout role in revenge series ''Resurrection (2005 TV series), Resurrec ...

). '' Dong Yi'' (2010) is about Suk-bin Choe (played by

Han Hyo-joo Han Hyo-joo (; born Han Ji-yeong, February 22, 1987) is a South Korean actress. She gained wide recognition with the back-to-back successes of '' Brilliant Legacy'' (2009) and ''Dong Yi'' (2010), both of which were massive hits with high viewe ...

) who rises from being a palace water maid (''

musuri ''Musuri'' is a Korean term referring to female slaves in charge of odd chores in the court during the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty of Korea. Their main tasks were miscellaneous works such as drawing water from a well, making a fire in the fireplace ...

'') to the concubine of King Sukjong. ''

The King's Doctor ''The King's Doctor'' (; lit. ''Horse Doctor'') is a 2012 South Korean television series depicting Baek Gwang-hyeon (1625–1697), Joseon Dynasty veterinarian, starring Cho Seung-woo and Lee Yo-won. It aired on MBC from October 1, 2012 to Ma ...

'' (2012) marked theater/film actor

Cho Seung-woo Cho Seung-woo (; born March 28, 1980) is a South Korean actor and singer. He is best known for his leading roles in the films ''The Classic (2003 film), The Classic'' (2003), ''Marathon (2005 film), Marathon'' (2005), ''Tazza: The High Rollers'' ...

's first TV series, in the role of a horse

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet) or veterinary surgeon is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, veterinarians also play a role in animal r ...

who becomes a court physician. Lee has worked with writer Choi Wan-kyu on ''Hur Jun'' and ''Sangdo'', writer Kim Yi-young on ''Yi San'', ''Dong Yi'' and ''The King's Doctor'', and writer Kim Young-hyun on ''Dae Jang Geum'' and ''Ballad of Seodong''. In 2016, Lee collaborated with

screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

for the 3rd time with MBC's 55th-founding anniversary drama, ''

The Flower in Prison ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''T ...

''. The drama, about a girl who was born in prison and later becomes an advocate for the poor and unfairly accused people, cast

Jin Se-yeon Kim Yoon-jung (; February 15, 1994), commonly known as Jin Se-yeon (), is a South Korean actress. She is notable for her appearances in television series '' Bridal Mask'' (2012), '' Doctor Stranger'' (2014), '' Flowers of the Prison'' (2016), an ...

in lead role. The 22-years-old actress has become Lee's youngest female protagonist to date.

Filmography

As director

*''

Flowers of the Prison ''Flowers of the Prison'' () is a 2016 South Korean drama television series starring Jin Se-yeon, Go Soo, Kim Mi-sook, Jung Joon-ho, Park Joo-mi, Yoon Joo-hee, , Jun Kwang-ryul and Choi Tae-joon. It is MBC's special project drama to commemo ...

'' ( MBC, 2016) *''

'' (MBC, 2012–2013) *'' Dong Yi'' (MBC, 2010) *''

Lee San, Wind of the Palace ''Lee San, Wind of the Palace'' (), also known as ''Yi San'', is a 2007 South Korean historical drama, starring Lee Seo-jin and Han Ji-min. It aired on MBC from September 17, 2007 to June 16, 2008 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55. The seri ...

'' (MBC, 2007–2008) *''

'' (SBS, 2005–2006) *'' Dae Jang Geum: Jewel in the Palace'' (MBC, 2003–2004) *''

Sangdo, Merchants of Joseon ''The Merchant'' () is a South Korean historical television drama, based on the novel ''The Merchant of Joseon'', written by Choe Inho. It tells the story of Im Sang-ok (1779–1855), a legendary merchant who lived during the Joseon dynasty. T ...

'' (MBC, 2001–2002) *'' Hur Jun'' (MBC, 1999–2000) *''The Third Man'' (MBC, 1997) *''My Mother's Sea'' (MBC, 1993) *''500 Years of Joseon: Daewongun'' (MBC, 1990) *''500 Years of Joseon: Pa Mun'' (MBC, 1989) *''500 Years of Joseon: The Memoirs of

Lady Hyegyeong ''Lady'' is a term for a woman who behaves in a polite way. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the female counterpart of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. "Lady" is al ...

'' (MBC, 1988–1989) *''500 Years of Joseon: Queen Inhyeon'' (MBC, 1988) *''500 Years of Joseon: Namhan Mountain Castle'' (MBC, 1986–1987) *''500 Years of Joseon: The Hoechun Gate'' (MBC, 1986) *''500 Years of Joseon: The Imjin War'' (MBC, 1985–1986) *''500 Years of Joseon: The Wind Orchid'' (MBC, 1985) *''500 Years of Joseon: The Ume Tree in the Midst of the Snow'' (MBC, 1984–1985) *''500 Years of Joseon: Tree With Deep Roots'' (MBC, 1983) *''500 Years of Joseon:

The King of Chudong Palace ''The King of Chudong Palace'' () is a 1983 South Korean historical television series, the first installment of the drama series ''500 Years of Joseon Dynasty'' by director Lee Byung-hoon and writer Shin Bong-seung. It aired on MBC from March ...

'' (MBC, 1983) *''Namgang Lee Seung-hun'' (MBC, 1982) *제3교실 (MBC, 1975) *113 수사본부 (MBC, 1974)

As producer

*''The Royal Road'' (MBC, 1998) *''Jealousy'' (MBC, 1992)

Book

*''Sewora Kingdom of Dreams: Director Lee Byung-hoon's Drama Story'' (2009)

Awards

*2015 10th

Seoul International Drama Awards Seoul International Drama Awards (), simply known as SDA, is an annual award ceremony based in Seoul, South Korea which honors excellence in television drama In film and television show, television, drama is a category or genre of narrat ...

: 10th Anniversary

Hallyu The Korean Wave, or ''hallyu'' (; ), is a cultural phenomenon in which the global popularity of South Korean popular culture has dramatically risen since the 1990s. Worldwide interest in Korean culture has been led primarily by the spread of K- ...

Achievement Award *2010 3rd

Korea Drama Awards The Korea Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony for excellence in television in South Korea. It was established in 2007, and is held annually in October in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province as the official main event of the annual Korea Drama F ...

: Achievement Award ('' Dong Yi'') *2008 3rd 좋은 방송 프로그램상 ('' Yi San'') *2008 44th

Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...

: Best TV Director ('' Yi San'') *2006 Ok-gwan Order of Cultural Merit *2005 6th 방송인상 방송제작 부문 개인 수상 (Yeouido Club) *2004 자랑스러운 한양언론인상 (한양언론인회) *2004 40th

: Best TV Director (''

'') *2002 Korean Broadcasters Association's Broadcasting Awards: Recipient, Drama category (''Sangdo'') *2000 Korean Producers & Directors' Association: Producer of the Year ('' Hur Jun'') *2000 Congressional Pop Culture Media Award ('' Hur Jun'') *2000 Korean Broadcasters Association's Broadcasting Awards: Excellence Award for Best Drama ('' Hur Jun'') *1986 Korea Broadcasting Awards: Best Producer, TV category (''The Imjin War'') *1982 Minister's Award from the

Korean Culture and Information Service The Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS; ) is an affiliated organization of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (South Korea), Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Government of South Korea, South Korean government and ...

(''Namgang Lee Seung-hun'') *1975 Broadcasting Ethics Award (제3교실)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Byung-hoon Living people 1944 births South Korean film directors South Korean television directors Seoul National University alumni People from South Chungcheong Province