Jo Sang-gyeong

Jo Sang-gyeong
Born (1973-05-20) 20 May 1973
Alma materKorea National University of Arts (Department of Stage Design/Art History)
OccupationCostume designer
Years active2002 - present
Korean name
Hangul
조상경
RRJo Sanggyeong
MRCho Sanggyŏng

Jo Sang-gyeong (Korean조상경; born March 20, 1973) is a South Korean art director and costume designer. She is known as a costume designer, for films such as Oldboy, Tazza: The High Rollers, The Host, and Modern Boy.

Career

Beginnings and transition to film

Before specializing in cinema, Jo maintained a diverse freelance portfolio that included commercial installation art, interior design, stage art, and tutoring. She has cited her time in theater as foundational to her understanding of lighting and costume interaction.[1]

While working on stage design at the Korea National University of Arts, Jo met art director Ryu Seong-hie, who had recently returned from the United States. At the time, the role of "art director" was still an emerging concept in the Korean film industry. Ryu recruited Jo to handle costumes for the action-noir film No Blood No Tears (2002). The success of this collaboration led to Jo receiving offers from prominent "Korean New Wave" directors, including Ryoo Seung-wan, Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho, and Kim Jee-woon. Jo initially viewed costume design as a hobby rather than a formal career path, a mindset she credits for her professional longevity and lack of burnout. Although she was offered the costume design role for Memories of Murder (2003), she had to decline due to her pregnancy.[1]

Continued career

While she briefly contemplated retiring to focus on childcare, she found domestic life unfulfilling and decided to return to work. Following a positive encounter with director Bong Man-dae, she accepted the costume design role for The Sweet Sex and Love and continued her career through her pregnancy. This was followed by her work on Park Chan-wook's Oldboy (2003). Her career continued to ascend with high-profile productions such as The Host (2006), Tazza: The High Rollers (2006), and Modern Boy (2008).[2][3][4][5]

Jo established Studio Gomgom, in Dongdaemun Seoul. In 2014, the studio was moved to Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Her team includes costume designers Kwak Jong-ae, Son Na-ri, and Yoon Jeong-hee.[6][7][8][9] Jo mentioned Oldboy, Modern Boy, The Front Line, and The Concubine as the defining projects that shifted her professional philosophy. Expanding her repertoire in 2017, she also designed the costumes for the musical Arirang.[10]

Personal life

Jo met Oh Man-seok when both were students at the Korea National University of Arts. After dating for a year and half, they married in 2001. The couple divorced in May 2007 but remain friends.[11][12] They have a daughter named Oh Young-joo.[13]

Filmography

Film

Film credits
Year Title Director Note Ref.
English Korean
2002 No Blood No Tears 피도 눈물도 없이 Ryoo Seung-wan debut project [14]
2003 Oldboy 올드보이 Park Chan-wook [15]
The Sweet Sex and Love 맛있는 섹스 그리고 사랑 Bong Man-dae [16]
2004 Faceless Beauty 얼굴 없는 미녀 Kim In-sik
Three... Extremes 쓰리, 몬스터 Park Chan-wook
The Big Swindle 범죄의 재구성 Choi Dong-hoon
2005 Lady Vengeance 친절한 금자씨 Park Chan-wook [3]
Boy Goes to Heaven 소년, 천국에 가다 Yoo [16]
A Bittersweet Life 달콤한 인생 Kim Jee-woon [17]
2006 The City of Violence 짝패 Ryoo Seung-wan [16]
The Host 괴물 Bong Joon-ho [18]
200 Pounds Beauty 미녀는 괴로워 Kim Yong-hwa [9]
The Fox Family 구미호 가족 Lee Hyung-gon [16]
I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK 싸이보그지만 괜찮아 Park Chan-wook [19]
Tazza: The High Rollers 타짜 Choi Dong-hoon [20]
2007 Hansel and Gretel 헨젤과 그레텔 Yim Pil-sung [21]
2008 Modern Boy 모던 보이 Jung Ji-woo [9]
2009 Thirst 박쥐 Park Chan-wook [22]
Private Eye 그림자 살인 Park Dae-min [16]
2010 Midnight FM 심야의 FM Kim Sang-man [9]
2011 Late Autumn 만추 Kim Tae-yong [23]
The Front Line 고지전 Jang Hoon [24]
2012 Day Trip 영화 Park Chan-wook and Park Chan-kyong   [9]
2012 The Concubine 후궁: 제왕의 첩 Kim Dae-seung [6]
2013 Mr. Go 미스터 고 Kim Yong-hwa [16]
2014 Kundo: Age of the Rampant 군도: 민란의 시대 Yoon Jong-bin [25]
2014 The Royal Tailor 상의원 Lee Won-suk [26]
2015 The Priest 검은 사제들 Jang Jae-hyun [9]
2015 Assassination 암살 Choi Dong-hoon [27] [28][29]
Veteran 베테랑 Ryoo Seung-wan [6]
The Tiger 대호 Park Hoon-jung [16]
2016 The Handmaiden 아가씨 Park Chan-wook [30]
2016 The Age of Shadows 밀정 Kim Jee-woon [6]
2017 V.I.P. 브이아이피 Park Hoon-jung [6]
2017 The Battleship Island 군함도 Ryoo Seung-wan [6]
2017 Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds 신과함께: 죄와 벌 Kim Yong-hwa [31]
A Taxi Driver 택시 운전사 Jang Hoon
The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion 마녀 Park Hoon-jung [32]
2018 Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days 신과함께: 인과 연 Kim Yong-hwa [33]
2018 Illang: The Wolf Brigade 인랑 Kim Jee-woon [34]
2019 Bring Me Home 나를 찾아줘 Kim Seung-woo [35]
2022 The Witch: Part 2. The Other One 마녀 2: the other one Park Hoon-jung [36]
Hunt 헌트 Lee Jung-jae [37]
A Man of Reason 보호자 Jung Woo-sung [38]
Decision to Leave 헤어질 결심 Park Chan-wook [39]
Alienoid 외계+인 1부 Choi Dong-hoon [40][41]
2023 Hopeless 화란 Kim Chang-hoon [42]
2023 The Moon 더 문 Kim Yong-hwa [43]
2024 Alienoid: Return to the Future 외계+인 2부 Choi Dong-hoon [44]
Revolver 프랑스 중위의 여자 Oh Seung-uk [45]
Uprising 전,란 Kim Sang-man [46]
2025 Virus 바이러스 Kang Yi-kwan [47]
The Match 승부 Kim Hyung-joo [48]
Mantis 사마귀 Lee Tae-sung [49]
No Other Choice 어쩔수가없다 Park Chan-wook [50]

Television

Television credits
Year Title Director Note Ref.
English Korean
2018 Mr. Sunshine 미스터 션샤인 Lee Eung-bok [31]
2020 It's Okay to Not Be Okay 사이코지만 괜찮아 Park Shin-woo [51]
2021 Dr. Brain Dr. 브레인 Kim Jee-woon [4]
2020, 2023, 2024 Sweet Home 환혼 Lee Eung-bok Season 1, 2, 3 [52]
2022 Squid Game 오징어 게임 Hwang Dong-hyuk Season 1, 2, and 3 [53][52]
2022, 2023 Alchemy of Souls 환혼 Park Joon-hwa Part 1 and 2 [54][55]
2024 Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born 정년이 Jung Ji-in [4]
2026 Can This Love Be Translated? 이 사랑 통역 되나요? Yoo Young-eun [56]
The Art of Sarah 레이디 두아 Kim Jin-min [57]
Portraits of Delusion 현혹 Han Jae-rim [4]

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations received by Jo
Award Year Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Asian Film Awards 2017 Best Costume Design The Handmaiden Won [58]
2025 Exhuma Won [59]
57th Baeksang Arts Awards 2021 Best Costume Design It's Okay to Not Be Okay Won [60]
Blue Dragon Film Awards 2008 Best Technology Modern Boy Won [61]
Best Art Direction Modern Boy[a] Nominated [62]
2015 Best Costume Design Assassination Won [63][64][65]
2025 Best Costume Design No Other Choice Won [66]
Buil Film Awards 2009 Best Art Direction Modern Boy Won [67]
Costume Designers Guild Awards 2022 Excellence in Contemporary Television Squid Game Nominated [68]
Grand Bell Awards 2005 Best Costume Design Faceless Beauty Nominated [69]
2007 Best Costume Design Tazza: The High Rollers Won [70]
2009 Best Art Direction Modern Boy[a] Nominated
Best Costume Design Modern Boy Nominated
2014 Kundo: Age of the Rampant Won [71]
2015 The Royal Tailor Won [72]
Assassination Nominated[b]
2018 Illang: The Wolf Brigade Won [73][74]
Korean Film Awards 2008 Best Art Directing Modern Boy[a] Nominated
Korean Film Critics Association Awards 2008 Best Technology Modern Boy Won [75]
Women Filmmaker of the Year Award 2007 Best Technology 200 Pounds Beauty Won [76]
I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Jo Sang-gyeong and Park Ju-yeong
  2. ^ with Son Na-ri

References

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