Lee Na-jeong (Korean: 이나정; born 1978) is a South Korean film, television director and producer. Lee is best known for her work as director of KBS television series Fight for My Way (2017), Netflix original series Love Alarm (2019) and tvN mystery thriller Mine (2021),[1] as well as her critically acclaimed film Snowy Road (2017).
Lee started her career in KBS Drama Department as an assistant director. In 2018, Lee resigned from KBS and moved to Studio Dragon Drama Department.[2] Lee signed a deal with Brillstein Entertainment Partners in 2021. She became the first Korean female television director to have joined a U.S. management agency.[3]
Early life and education
Lee Na-jeong was born in 1978. She graduated from Journalism Department of Sogang University. In 2005, Lee applied for the 31st Public Recruitment at KBS.[4] Lee started her career in KBS Drama Department as an assistant director.[5]
Career
Lee Na-jeong started as an assistant director for the drama It's Only You in 2011. In 2012, she served as an assistant director to Kim Jin-won for the drama The Innocent Man.[6] Her breakthrough came when she took on the role of the main director for the KBS Drama Special - Yeonwoo's Summer in 2013.[7]
In early 2014, Lee Na-jeong started planned Snowy Road with the Writer Yoo Bo-ra.[8] Set in 1944 at the end of the Japanese colonial period, Snow Road is a work depicting the reality that Jongbun (Kim Hyang-gi) and Young-ae (Kim Sae-ron) had to face as comfort women. The actual filming period for Snowy Road lasted only 17 days.[9][10] It was first premiered as a two-part television drama special on KBS1 in 2015, and then was re-edited for theatrical screening.[11][12]
However KBS planned it as a film from the beginning. Broadcast content is difficult to show in Japan, but for film, it is easier to go to film festivals or screen them. It could at least be screened at human rights film festivals. So, from the beginning, they formed a broadcasting staff and a film staff together, and the scenario was also written in collaboration with the film staff. It all started with the hope that more people would watch the movie and learn more about this issue.[8][13] The theatrical cut was first showcased at the 16th Jeonju International Film Festival.[11][12] The film version was finally released in theater nationwide on March 1, 2017,[8][13] also known as the Independence Movement Day in South Korea, which commemorates the 1919 March 1st Movement.[14] In 2016, Snowy Road won the Prix Italia Award in the TV Drama/TV Movie category at the 67th Prix Italia Award Awards.[15]
Lee left KBS and moved to Studio Dragon. Her debut work in the new place was Love Alarm, which was based on the Daum webtoon of the same name by Chon Kye-young, it centered on the life of a high school girl in a society greatly influenced by a mobile app capable of notifying romantic feelings. Starring Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram, and Song Kang, it was the first Korean drama series confirmed to be streamed on Netflix.[a] The first season of the series was streamed on Netflix on August 22, 2019. It was ranked as one of Netflix's top releases and was renewed for a second season in October 2019. Deason 2 was released on March 12, 2021, with different director.[16] In 2021, the series managed to rank in Netflix as the 6th most watched K-dramas worldwide.[17] In 2022, it was the ninth most searched Korean drama worldwide.[18]
Director Lee Na-jeong said, "I wanted to portray the love and growth of three men and women who face the most ecstatic and exciting moments as well as the most painful and terrible moments while embodying the wonderfully well-crafted world of the original work. I want to share the deep emotion of the original work with more people."[19]
In 2021, Lee Na-jeong collaborated with Writer Baek Mi-kyung on a drama centered around the theme of motherhood. Initially titled "Blue Diamond," Lee suggested changing the title to Mine, which Baek Mi-kyung gladly accepted. It explores the lives of wealthy family members and their servants, delving into the complexities of their relationships. Each women character defy societal prejudices to find their "truly mine."[20][21] Mine made history as the first Korean drama to feature a lesbian character in a leading role, further expanding representation in the industry.[22][23][24]
We put a lot of effort into expressing the luxury of the real upper class on screen. Because it is set in the top 1%, I thought there should be plenty to see, but the visuals should not be boring or distracting. I wanted to create a drama that would appeal to viewers’ eyes and ears. We created a visual pre-production team (prior to filming) and prepared the concept for about 4 months, researching what kind of buildings the upper class likes in 2021 and what they use, wear, and eat. Based on this, we clearly communicated the image and direction we wanted to create to the staff, including the cinematographer and art director, and completed the work together. I also wanted to present a new standard for luxury. I tried to convey the feelings of real rich people by clearly choosing emptiness and filling.
The series, starring Lee Bo-young, Kim Seo-hyung, Lee Hyun-wook, and Ok Ja-yeon,[25] premiered on tvN on May 8, 2021. It aired every Saturday and Sunday at 21:00 (KST) until June 27, 2021.[26] Netflix acquired the exclusive rights for international distribution.[27][28][29] The drama garnered substantial ratings throughout its run. With an average nationwide viewership of 8.208% and 9.078% in the metropolitan area, Mine attracted an average of 1.826 million viewers per episode. The drama's final episode recorded an average of 10.5% and 11.2% ratings for households nationwide and in the metropolitan area, respectively. These numbers surpassed its own previous highest ratings in both segments.[30]
In 2021, Fine Cut, an overseas film distribution company, announced the news that Lee signed a deal with Brillstein Entertainment Partners in 2021, which has a number of production studios and Hollywood stars under its wing. She became the first Korean female TV director to have joined a U.S. management agency. Missy Malkin from Brillstain decided to signed Lee after watching tvN mystery thriller Mine (2021).[31]
Studio Trii, Imaginus
In March 2024, Ryu Hyung-jin, the vice president of the production house Imaginus, introduced Imaginus's labels in an exclusive interview with Cine21. He mentioned Trii Studio (트리 스튜디오), as label under Imaginus, and stated that Lee Na-jeong is leading the label alongside fellow female creators, directors Lee Yoon-jung and producer Kim Jin-yi.[32][33] Imaginus is a production house established by Choi Jin-hee, former CEO of Studio Dragon. Trii Studio upcoming work is Hong sisters' OTT drama Can Love Be Translated set to be directed by Yoo Young-eun.[34][35]
^Yoon, Yeo-soo (2017-02-18). "드라마 PD 겸 영화감독, '투잡' 뛰는 연출자들" [Drama PD and film director, directors who work 'Two Jobs']. entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-03-11.
^ ab"[인터뷰] 이나정 감독 "'눈길'...약자들이 함께 나아가는 연대 영화"" [[Interview] Director Lee Na-jung "'Snow Road'... A solidarity film where the weak go together"]. 싱글리스트 (in Korean). 2017-03-03. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
^ ab[한국PD대상] 올해의PD상 총파업참여 PD들..눈물과 촌철살인 소감 [종합] [[Korea PD Awards] PDs participating in this year's PD award general strike.. The impression of tears and rustic murder [Comprehensive]]. OSEN (in Korean). 15 March 2018.
^Park, Soo-in (June 28, 2021). "'마인' 김서형 "성소수자 멜로 원했다‥한국판 '캐롤'도 만났으면"[EN:인터뷰]" ['Mine' Kim Seo-hyung: "I wanted an LGBT melodrama..I also wanted the Korean version of 'Carol'" [EN: Interview]]. Naver (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
^ ab"재벌가 여성에 대한 고정관념 깬 '마인' 이나정 PD" ['Mine' Na-jung PD who broke the stereotypes about women in chaebols]. 여성동아 (in Korean). 20 July 2021. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
^Park Yoon-jin (December 29, 2020). "tvN 측 "이보영·김서형·옥자연, '마인' 긍정 검토 중…고소영은 출연 NO" [공식]" [tvN side "Lee Bo-young, Kim Seo-hyung, Okja-yeon,'Mine' affirmative review... Go So-young appears NO" [Official]]. My Daily (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
^Shin Young-eun (April 21, 2021). "이보영X김서형 '마인' 5월 8일 첫방송 확정 [공식]" [Lee Bo-young x Kim Seo-hyung'Mine' first broadcast confirmed on May 8th [Official]]. Daily Economy Star (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
^Seong Yu-min (June 28, 2021). "'마인' 최종회, 그 신부님 어머나 웬일...모델 겸 배우 아키라" [The final episode of 'Main', the priest's mother, for some reason... Model and actress Akira]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
^박, 진영 (2023-09-21). "고윤정, 김선호 만날까..."'이 사랑 통역 되나요?' 검토 중"(공식)" [Shall we meet Go Yoon-jung and Kim Seon-ho..."'Can this love be translated?' Under review"(official)]. 아이뉴스24 (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-12-04.
^Ko, Jin-young (2024-02-29). "[Film Making]이매지너스 '이 사랑 통역 되나요'…6월 촬영 돌입" [[Film Making]Imaginus 'Can this love be translated'... Filming started in June]. 더벨뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-03-08.
^"'조들호' 후속, 4부작 '백희가 돌아왔다' 편성 확정" [The follow-up to 'Jodeulho', the four-part 'Baek-hee is back' is confirmed]. 아이뉴스24 (in Korean). 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
^Sun, Mi-kyung. "[공식입장] 박서준·김지원, '쌈 마이웨이' 출연 확정..대세 조합" [[Official position] Park Seo-joon and Kim Ji-won confirmed to appear in 'Ssam My Way'.. Trend combination]. entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-01-14.
^Kim Hyun-rok (October 17, 2020). "이보영X고소영, 백미경 작가 '마인'으로 뭉치나 "여성파워 조합"[종합]" [Lee Bo-young x Ko So-young, Baek Mi-kyung, the artist 'Mine', "Woman Power Combination" [Comprehensive]]. Spotvnews (in Korean). Retrieved March 26, 2021.
^Yoon, Seong-yeol (2024-09-23). "[단독]이준호, 드라마 '태풍상사'로 컴백..'마인' 이나정 감독과 호흡 [종합]" [[Exclusive] Lee Jun-ho, comeback with drama 'Typhoon Boss'... Working with 'Mine' director Lee Na-jeong [Comprehensive]]. Starnews. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
^Park, Yu-ji (4 September 2017). ‘효리네민박’·‘프듀2’, 올해의 예능 브랜드 대상 확정 [공식] ['Hyo-ri's Minbak'·'Produce two', this year's entertainment brand grand prize confirmed [Official]]. TV Report (in Korean).
^‘[더서울어워즈] '비밀의 숲'·'박열', 대상 수상…반박 불가 ★들의 잔치(종합) 본문듣기 설정 ['[The Seoul Awards] 'Secret Forest'·'Park Yeol', Grand Prize Winner... Unsubjectible ★'s Feast (Comprehensive) Text Listening Settings] (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-10-27.
^제54회 백상예술대상, TV·영화 각 부문별 수상 후보자 공개 [The 54th Baeksang Arts Awards, Revealing the nominations for each category of TV and film]. JTBC (in Korean). April 6, 2018.
^‘SDA 2018’ 박서준X손예진 남녀 연기자상 ‘바빌론 베를린’ 대상(종합) ['SDA 2018' Park Seo-joon X Son Ye-jin Male and Female Actor Award 'Babylon Berlin' Grand Prize (Comprehensive)]. Newsen (in Korean). September 3, 2018.
^"제 58회 백상예술대상" [58 Nominees · Works]. Baeksang Arts Awards (in Korean). April 11, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^Ahn Byung-gil (April 11, 2022). "58회 백상예술대상 후보 공개…영광의 주인공은?" [58th Baeksang Arts Awards nominations revealed... Who is the hero of glory?]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
