Kim Won-seok

Kim Won-seok is a South Korean television director. He directed Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010), Monstar (2013), Misaeng (2014), Signal (2016), My Mister (2018) and Arthdal Chronicles (2019). Career Kim Won-seok began his television career in 2001 as an assistant director for the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) network. He was promoted to second unit director in 2005, and honed his skills on series of diverse genres. He also directed two episodes for the single-episode anthology Drama City in 2007, GOD (which he co-wrote) and The Dual Accounts Murder. Kim's first television drama series as the head production director was "fusion" historical drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal in 2010. Based on Jung Eun-gwol's bestselling 2007 novel The Lives of Sungkyunkwan Confucian Scholars, it depicted the friendship and love that develops between four classmates (including a girl disguised as a boy) attending Sungkyunkwan, Joseon's highest educational institute where no women were allowed. Despite solid but unspectacular viewership ratings in the mid-teens, Sungkyunkwan Scandal became a cult hit among younger viewers, resulting in increased popularity for its cast Park Min-young, Park Yoo-chun, Yoo Ah-in and Song Joong-ki, and several trophies at the 2010 KBS Drama Awards. Kim won Best New Television Director at the 47th Baeksang Arts Awards, and Best Production Director at the 4th Korea Drama Awards. Kim left KBS and in August 2011, he signed with media conglomerate CJ E&M, which owns cable channels Mnet and tvN. His first project post-move was a 30-minute music video for Superstar K3 starring the reality show's remaining contestants, titled Superstar K3: The Beginning. Then inspired by the American show Glee, Kim directed Mnet's first-ever musical drama, Monstar in 2013. It was Kim's third time to collaborate with screenwriter Kim Tae-hee (after The Dual Accounts Murder and Sungkyunkwan Scandal). Auditions were held, and Kim cast rookie actress Ha Yeon-soo, K-pop singer Yong Jun-hyung and stage actor Kang Ha-neul in the lead roles.