Jin Hyuk is a South Korean television director. He directed Brilliant Legacy (2009), City Hunter (2011), Prosecutor Princess (2010), Master's Sun (2013), Doctor Stranger (2014), and The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016).

Career

Jin Hyuk graduated from Yonsei University in 2001 with a degree in Business Administration, then joined the TV network Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS). He first worked as a producer, became an assistant director from 2003 to 2007, then a second unit director in 2008.

In 2009, Jin directed his first television drama, Brilliant Legacy (also known as Shining Inheritance). A Cinderella-esque story about a poor, kind-hearted girl who becomes the sole heiress of a rich, elderly woman who wants to teach her spoiled family a lesson, Brilliant Legacy became an unexpected hit, reaching a peak viewership rating of 47.1%, and catapulted its relatively unknown stars Han Hyo-joo and Lee Seung-gi to fame. Jin won Best Drama PD at the 17th Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards, and was nominated for Best New Television Director at the 46th Baeksang Arts Awards.

He and Brilliant Legacy screenwriter So Hyun-kyung collaborated again for Prosecutor Princess (2010), a romantic comedy/legal drama in which a vain and shallow law graduate is forced to work as a public prosecutor which gradually changes her outlook on the world. City Hunter followed in 2011, which Jin considered a prequel of the same-titled manga by Tsukasa Hojo, transforming its protagonist into a Blue House IT expert by day, and a vengeful, justice-seeking vigilante by night. Despite middling domestic ratings for both series, Kim So-yeon (previously typecast in dramatic roles) drew praise for her comic acting in Prosecutor Princess, while her co-star Park Si-hoo and City Hunter lead actor Lee Min-ho increased their overseas fanbase due to their respective series. Jin received a Best Production Director nomination at the 4th Korea Drama Awards for City Hunter.

He then worked with the Hong sisters for Master's Sun (2013), a horror/romantic comedy starring So Ji-sub and Gong Hyo-jin about a selfish shopping mall CEO who finds himself falling for a woman who can communicate with ghosts. In 2014, Jin cast Lee Jong-suk as a genius doctor who defected from North Korea then encounters the doppelgänger of his dead first love in Doctor Stranger.

Jin is set to direct FHM 2, the sequel to the 2011 Chinese television drama FHM, which revolves around the friendship, desires, and ambitions of men in their thirties. Starring Park Hae-jin, Zhang Liang and Joker Xue, FHM 2 is a joint venture between a Chinese production company and Korean conglomerate CJ E&M and will air in 2015.

Filmography

Television series

Television series scriptsTelevision series directing credit
YearTitleNetworkCredited asRef.
EnglishKoreanAssistant DirectorMain Director
2003South of the Sun태양의 남쪽SBSJin HyukKim Soo-ryong
2004Human Market인간시장Jin Hyuk Seo Jang-wonHong Seong-chang Son Jung-hyun
2005Queen's Conditions여왕의 조건Jin HyukPark Young-soo
2006Single Life독신천하Kim Jin-geun
2007Blue Fish푸른 물고기Kim Soo-ryong
2007Get Karl! Oh Soo-jung칼잡이 오수정Jin Hyuk Park Hyung-kiKwon Hyuk-chan
2008Bichunmoo비천무Jin Hyuk Hong Jong-chanKim Young-jun
On Air온에어Jin HyukShin Woo-chul
Painter of the Wind바람의 화원Jang Tae-yoo
2009Brilliant Legacy찬란한 유산—N/aJin Hyuk
2010Prosecutor Princess검사 프린세스
2011City Hunter시티헌터
2015The Chaser추적자Jin Hyuk Jo Young-kwangJo Nam-kook
2013Master's Sun주군의 태양—N/aJin Hyuk
2014Doctor Stranger닥터 이방인Hong Jong-chan
2016The Legend of the Blue Sea푸른 바다의 전설Park Seon-ho—N/a
2021Sisyphus: The Myth시지프스: the mythJTBC
2024The Tale of Lady Ok옥씨부인전
2025Villains빌런즈TVING

Accolades

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryRecipientResultRef.
200917th Korea Culture and Entertainment AwardsDrama PD AwardJin HyukWon
201046th Baeksang Arts AwardsBest DramaBrilliant LegacyNominated
Best New Director (TV)Nominated
37th Korea Broadcasting AwardsBest Serial DramaWon
14th YWCA Good TV Program AwardFemale Drama CategoryWon
201144th WorldFest-Houston International Film FestivalPlatinum Remi AwardBrilliant LegacyWon
17th Shanghai Television Festival Magnolia AwardsForeign TV Series Special AwardWon
20114th Korea Drama AwardsBest DirectorCity HunterNominated
20127th Seoul International Drama AwardsOutstanding Korean DramaNominated

State honors

Name of country, year given, and name of honor
Country/OrganizationYearHonorRef.
South Korea2009Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism commendation

External links