Um Tae-hwa

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Um Tae-hwa
UM TAE HWA (eomtaehwa) - CONCRETE UTOPIA BTS 1.png
Um Tae-hwa in 2023
Born1980 (age 44–45)
Seoul, South Korea
Occupation(s) Film director,
screenwriter
Years active2002–present
Spouse
Undisclosed
​
(m. 2023)​
Family Uhm Tae-goo (brother)
Korean name
Hangul
엄태화
RR Eom Taehwa
MR Ŏm T'aehwa

Um Tae-hwa (born 1980) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter known for his work in both short and feature films. Trained under acclaimed director Park Chan-wook, Um worked as an assistant director on Three... Extremes , Lady Vengeance , and Night Fishing .

Contents

He frequently collaborates with his younger brother, actor Uhm Tae-goo, casting him in several of his projects, including Forest, Heart Vibrator, and INGtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls (2013). INGtoogi marked Um's feature directorial debut and earned critical acclaim and multiple award nominations, including at the Wildflower Film Awards and Baeksang Arts Awards.

His subsequent films include the fantasy drama Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned (2018) and the disaster thriller Concrete Utopia (2023), the latter of which was selected as South Korea’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards.

Education and early works

Um Tae-hwa was born in 1980. He graduated from Dongsan High School in Ansan in 1999 and pursue a degree in Advertising Design from Hongik University. [1] Although he initially had no specific aspirations in the arts, he enjoyed creating stories and drawing cartoons to share with those around him. While working part-time on a movie art team during college, he realized that film could be a medium to express his interests. Um began his career by directing short films. [2]

In 2002, he co-directed the documentary Sunhee, Don't Cry, which was screened at the 2002 Indie Documentary Festival and the Jeonju Human Rights Film Festival. The following year, he directed the short film Cactus, which won the Best Short Film Award at the 1st Sangnoksu Short Film Festival. [1]

Around the time of his graduation in 2004, Um shared his desire to make films with a professor, who introduced him to Lee Seung-chul, a simultaneous sound recordist and director Park Chan-wook's staff. Through this connection, Um joined the production of Park Chan-wook's music video for singer Lee Seung-yeol and film Lady Vengeance. [2] [3] In 2007, he directed the short film Fill My Wisdom Tooth Hole. [1] and on the film Epitaph (2007) by brothers Jung Sik and Jung Bum-shik. [4] [5]

Um's documentary Common Story, released in 2009, won the Public Access Video Festival Award. In 2010, Um and his brother collaborated on the short film Home Sweet Home (Yusukja), with Uhm Tae-goo playing a homeless man after another actor had to drop out due to the requirement of a shaved head. [6] [7] The film was selected for the 4th Great Short Film Festival and competed in the short film categories at the 5th International Student Peace Film Festival and the 2010 Seoul Independent Film Festival. [1]

In 2011, he enrolled at 28th class of the Directing Department of the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA). In 2012 he directed the short film Forest with Uhm Tae-goo took the lead role and earned an acting award at the 13th Daegu Independent Short Film Festival. [8] [9] This film also won the grand prize at the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival. [10] Following this, Um directed the short film HeartVibrator, created as part of KAFA’s 40th Anniversary Special Exhibition, featuring Hong Seok-jae, Uhm Tae-goo, and Ryu Hye-young. [11]

In 2013, Um completed his first full-length independent film, INGtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls, which starred Uhm Tae-goo, Ryu Hye-young, and Kwon Yul. As a KAFA graduation project supported by Park Chan-wook, the film follows Tae-sik, an introverted and unemployed man who, after being cyberbullied, challenges his tormentor to a martial arts match with help from friends. [12] [13] [14] Ingtoogi received nominations for Best Film, Best Director, and Best New Director at the 1st Wildflower Film Awards, as well as Best New Director at the 50th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2014. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]

Career

Um continued to work as an assistant director and film crew on projects such as Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits (2014), Tinker Ticker (2014), The Wicked (2015), and Socialphobia (2015). [1]

In 2018, Um directed the fantasy film Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned , starring Gang Dong-won as Sung-min. He reunited with Uhm Tae-goo, who portrayed the adult version of Tae-sik, one of the boys experiencing a mysterious "vanishing time" phenomenon after encountering a glowing egg in a cave. [20] [21] [22]

Um directed the disaster film Concrete Utopia , adapted from the webtoon Pleasant Outcast by Kim Soong-nyung. Co-written with Lee Shin-ji, the film stars Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon, and Park Bo-young. [23] Uhm Tae-goo also appears as "homeless person 1," chosen for his strong presence that impacts the film’s flow. The film premiered on August 9, 2023, and was screened in the Gala section of the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023. It was selected as South Korea’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards in 2024. [24] [25]

In 2024, Um directed his first music video for the song Love Wins All, featuring IU and BTS member V as a married couple in a post-apocalyptic world. The music video was released on January 24, 2024, along with the song. [26] [27]

In June 2025, Um was featured in The Muju Film Festival's special program called 'Director's Focus'. During the film festival period from June 6 to 8, director Uhm Tae-hwa's feature and short films will be screened and related talk programs will also be held. [3]

Personal life

His younger brother Uhm Tae-goo, is a South Korean actor. Um married a non-celebrity girlfriend on April 29, 2023 in Gangnam, Seoul. Um's wife is known to have worked as an interior designer and the head of a design studio. [28]

Filmography

Short film

Short film credits
YearTitleCredited asRef.
EnglishKorean Director Screenplay EditorStoryboard
2002The Story About Sun-hee선희야 노올자co-directing— [1]
2003Cactus선인장Yes
2010Common Story신봉리 우리집: 흔한이야기Yes
2011Nice Shorts! 2011
(segment: "Home Sweet Home")		유숙자Yes
2012Forest숲Yes
2012Heart Vibrator하트바이브레이터Yes
2024 Love Wins All
(IU MV)		Yes [26] [27]

Feature film

Feature film credits
YearTitleCredited asRef.
EnglishKorean Director Screenplay StoryboardOther
2004 Three... Extremes 쓰리, 몬스터directing team———
2005 Sympathy for Lady Vengeance 친절한 금자씨assistant director
2006The Faces얼굴들—actor
2007 Epitaph 기담assistant director—
2011 Night Fishing 파란만장Yes
2013Ingtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls잉투기YesYes—Editor
2014Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits파란만장—scripterYes—
2014 Tinker Ticker 들개——actor
2014The Wicked마녀Yes—
2015 Socialphobia 소셜포비아—Cinematography team
2016 Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned 가려진 시간Yes—
2023 Concrete Utopia 콘크리트 유토피아co-writer

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryRecipientResultRef.
2017 54th Grand Bell Awards Best New Director Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned Won [29]
Best ScreenplayNominated
12th Festival du Film Coréen à ParisAudience AwardWon [30]
2023 32nd Buil Film Awards Best Director Concrete Utopia Nominated [31]
44th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Director Won [32]
59th Grand Bell Awards Best DirectorNominated
2024 60th Baeksang Arts Awards Best FilmNominated [33]
Best DirectorNominated

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "씨네21". cine21.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
  2. 1 2 김지혜 (2016-11-25). "[인터뷰②] '깐느박 키드' 엄태화 감독이 말한 박찬욱의 영향". SBS연예뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
  3. 1 2 김나랑 (2025-05-22). "엄태화 감독, 먼지와 꿈 사이에서". Vogue korea (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
  4. ↑ 김진우 (2019-10-16). "악역 포스 넘치는 반전 매력의 소유자, 엄태구의 이모저모". Cine21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  5. ↑ Seong, Chan-eul (2024-07-25). "〈Playful Woman〉 Um Tae-goo A TO Z, with TMI added".
  6. ↑ 김진우 (2019-10-16). "악역 포스 넘치는 반전 매력의 소유자, 엄태구의 이모저모". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  7. ↑ Seong, Chan-eul (2024-07-25). "〈Playful Woman〉 Um Tae-goo A TO Z, with TMI added".
  8. ↑ Forest
  9. ↑ "'어른도감' 엄태구, 뼛속부터 영화인 형제로 눈길". 서울경제 (in Korean). 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  10. ↑ "'무서운 신예' 엄태구, 첫 드라마 주연 도전". SBS NEWS (in Korean). 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  11. ↑ "전주국제영화제 아카이브 | JEONJU International Film Festival". JEONJU Intl. Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
  12. ↑ "'어른도감' 엄태구, 뼛속부터 영화인 형제로 눈길". 서울경제 (in Korean). 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  13. ↑ Ha, Sung-tae (2014-03-04). [초이스]잉투기 [[Story] Ingtogi]. kmDB.
  14. ↑ 조선일보 (2020-07-28). "'잉투기' 단언컨대 차세대 스크린 스타 '엄태구-류혜영-권율' [인터뷰]". 조선일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  15. ↑ "UM Tae-hwa". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2015-10-03.
  16. ↑ "KAFA student UM Tae-hwa takes Mise-en-scène's Grand Prize". Korean Film Biz Zone. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 2015-10-03.
  17. ↑ Esteban Cayer, Ariel. "Ingtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls". Fantasia International Film Festival . Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2015-10-03.
  18. ↑ Kwon, Eugene (6 December 2013). "Review: Keeping Up the Bad Fight – Ingtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls". Modern Korean Cinema. Retrieved 2015-10-03.
  19. ↑ Lee, Claire (31 March 2014). "Wildflower Film Awards Korea to dole out first gongs". The Korea Herald . Retrieved 2015-10-03.
  20. ↑ Kim Hyung-seok (12 December 2016). "UM Tae-hwa, Director of VANISHING TIME: A BOY WHO RETURNED". Korean Film Council. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  21. ↑ Jang, Ah-reum. 강동원, '가려진 시간' 출연 확정..7일 크랭크인. Naver (in Korean). News1 Korea. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  22. ↑ Ahn, Woo-rim. "'Vanishing Time' Is Ready to Present in November". BNT News International. BNT News. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  23. ↑ 김수영 (2023-01-12). "[2023 기대작②] 엄태화 감독 '콘크리트 유토피아', "재난 상황보다 재난에 처한 사람들이 더 중요한 영화"". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
  24. ↑ Ryu Ji-yoon (August 17, 2023). "'콘크리트 유토피아', 내년 오스카 국제장편영화 출품작 선정" ['Concrete Utopia' Selected for Next Year's Oscar International Feature Film Entry]. Dailyian (in Korean). Naver . Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  25. ↑ Frater, Patrick; Bleasdale, John (August 17, 2023). "International Oscar Race: Korea Selects Disaster Action Film 'Concrete Utopia'". Variety . Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  26. 1 2 Yeo, Gladys (January 29, 2024). "IU reveals how BTS' V was cast in the music video for 'Love Wins All'". NME . Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  27. 1 2 "IU and BTS' V collaboration 'Love Wins All' emerges as the first chart-topping single of 2024". Times of India . January 28, 2024. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  28. ↑ Ha Su-jeong (May 2, 2023). "[단독] '엄태구 형' 엄태화 감독, 미모의 디자이너 결혼..이병헌·박서준 하객" [Exclusive] Director Uhm Tae-hwa of 'Uhm Tae-goo's brother, married a beautiful designer...Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun as guests] (in Korean). OSEN. Retrieved May 2, 2023– via Naver.
  29. ↑ "Stars shine at Daejong awards: A successful year for film industry celebrated at annual ceremony". Korea JoongAng Daily . 27 October 2017.
  30. ↑ "VANISHING TIME: A BOY WHO RETURNED Wins Audience Award at the Festival du Film Coréen à Paris". koreanfilm.or.kr.
  31. ↑ Nam, Yoo-jung; Lee, Woo-young (2023-08-27). "누가 받아도 될 정도로 훌륭한 후보들, 그중 최고는 누구?" [Great candidates to anyone can accept, who is the best of them?]. Naver News (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  32. ↑ Bae Hyo-joo (November 24, 2023). "'감독상' 엄태화 "올해 결혼, 신혼 못 즐겨" 고백‥이병헌 흐뭇[청룡영화상]" [Best Director’ Uhm Tae-hwa confesses, “I got married this year, I can’t enjoy my honeymoon” Lee Byung-hun is happy [Blue Dragon Film Awards]]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver . Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  33. ↑ Hwang, So-young (April 8, 2024). 60회 맞은 '백상예술대상' TV·영화·연극 후보 공개 [60th 'Baeksang Arts Awards' TV, Film and Theater Candidates Revealed] (in Korean). JTBC News. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024– via Naver.
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