Lee Sang-il (director)

In this article, the surname is Lee.
Lee Sang-il
李 相日
Born (1974-01-06) 6 January 1974
Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Occupation
  • Director
Years active1999–present
Japanese name
Kanji李 相日
Hiraganaり さんいる
Katakanaリ・サンイル
Transcriptions
RomanizationRi San'iru
Korean name
Hangul
이상일
Hanja
李相日
RRI Sangil
MRI Sangil

Lee Sang-il (Japanese: 李 相日, Hepburn: Ri San'iru; Korean: 이상일, born January 6, 1974) is a Japanese filmmaker. He is a third generation Zainichi Korean born and raised in Niigata, Japan. His filmography is characterized by a deep exploration of human conflict and the dark sides of society, achieving both critical acclaim and commercial success. He has been nominated multiple times at the Japan Academy Film Prize, winning Best Picture once and Best Director once.

Lee began his career with his graduation project from the Japan Institute of the Moving Image, Chong (1999). The film features a main character who attends a North Korean-affiliated high school, a setting that mirrors Lee's own background. It won four awards, including the Grand Prix, at the Pia Film Festival (PFF) Award 2000. His fifth film, Hula Girls (2006), which depicts coal miners' daughters saving their declining town through hula dancing, was a major success. It won numerous accolades, including Best Picture and Best Director at the Japan Academy Film Prize. He continued to garner acclaim with adaptations of Shuichi Yoshida's novels. His seventh film, Villain (2010), which depicts the complex line between good and evil in the wake of a murder, and his eighth film, Rage (2016), which depicts how suspicion destroys trust among three groups of people, both received nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, in addition to winning several acting awards. His ninth film Wandering (2022) explored the controversial bond between a former kidnapping victim and her abductor. His 10th film, Kokuho (2025), marked his third adaptation of a Shuichi Yoshida novel. Depicting the life and rivalry of Kabuki actors, the film grossed over ¥17.37 billion (US$115 million). It became the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film in history and recorded the 11th highest domestic box office revenue of all time, including anime films.

Early life

Lee Sang-il was born in Niigata, Niigata Prefecture on January 6, 1974. He studied at the Japan Institute of the Moving Image in Kawasaki, Kanagawa.

Career

Lee's first film Chong was a featurette about the lives of third-generation Koreans in Japan. His film Hula Girls was declared the best Japanese film of 2006 by Kinema Jumpo, and earned Lee Best Director and Best Screenplay at the 2007 Japanese Academy Awards.[1] His film Unforgiven was screened in the Special Presentation section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.[2][3] His film Kokuho (2025) became one of the highest-grossing Japanese films of all time.[4][5] At the 2025 Tokyo International Film Festival, he received the honorary Akira Kurosawa Award, which is given each year for extraordinary contributions to world cinema.[6]

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Tokyo International Film Festival

Year Category Nominated work Result
2025 Akira Kurosawa Award Himself[6] Honoured

References

  1. ^ 第 30 回日本アカデミー賞優秀作品 (in Japanese). Japan Academy Prize. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  2. ^ "Unforgiven". TIFF. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  3. ^ "Toronto Adds 75+ Titles To 2013 Edition". Indiewire. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  4. ^ "吉沢亮、稀代の女方歌舞伎役者に 原作:吉田修一×監督:李相日『国宝』映画化". Oricon. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  5. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (18 May 2025). "Lee Sang-il, Stars Detail Grueling Kabuki Journey on Cannes Film 'Kokuho': 'I Could Not Hear Anything Except My Own Heartbeats and Breath'". Variety.
  6. ^ a b Abid Rahman (27 August 2025). "Chloé Zhao, Lee Sang-il Set for Tokyo Film Fest's Kurosawa Akira Award". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  7. ^ "怒り". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  8. ^ "Wandering | JAPAN CUTS 2023". Japan Society. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
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