Kim Seong-yoon

Kim Seong-yoon (born 1976) is a South Korean television director, best known for directing popular television series Love in the Moonlight (2016) and Itaewon Class (2020). Career In 2001, Kim joined the Entertainment Department of KBS and later moved to the Drama Department. He co-directed television dramas The Great Merchant (2010) Dream High (2011), Big (2012) and Discovery of Love (2014). In 2015, Kim co-directed Who Are You: School 2015 – the sixth installment of KBS's School series with Baek Sang-hoon. The drama, written by Kim Min-jeong and Im Ye-jin, received modest viewership ratings but was well received by young viewers and became popular overseas, leading to increased recognition for its cast – Kim So-hyun, Nam Joo-hyuk, and Yook Sung-jae. In 2016, he directed the youth historical drama Love in the Moonlight, which marked the second collaboration of him with writers Kim Min-jeong and Im Ye-jin after School 2015. Based on the novel Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, series depicts the growth of Lee Yeong, Crown Prince of Joseon, (played by Park Bo-gum) and his unlikely relationship with eunuch Hong Ra-on (a woman disguised as a man, portrayed by Kim Yoo-jung). The series met with praise by critics and audiences for its production, performances and music, achieved peak audience rating of 23.3% and dominated topicality, content and brand reputation charts. The media to called its popularity "Moonlight Syndrome". Following the huge popularity gained from the drama, lead actor Park became the first ever actor to top the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list and lead actress Kim became the youngest to be included in the Top 10 of the same list.