Lee Na-jeong

Lee Na-jeong (; born 1978) is a South Korean film, television director and producer. Lee is best known for her work as director of KBS television series Fight for My Way, Netflix original series Love Alarm (2019) and tvN mystery thriller Mine (2021), as well as her critically acclaimed film Snowy Road (2017).

Lee started her career in KBS Drama Department as an assistant director. In 2018, Lee resigned from KBS and moved to Studio Dragon Drama Department. Lee signed a deal with Brillstein Entertainment Partners in 2021. She became the first Korean female television director to have joined a U.S. management agency.

Early life and education Lee Na-jeong was born in 1978. She graduated from Journalism Department of Sogang University. In 2005, Lee applied for the 31st Public Recruitment at KBS. Lee started her career in KBS Drama Department as an assistant director.

Career

Beginning in KBS Lee Na-jeong started her career as an assistant director for the drama It's Only You in 2011. In 2012, she served as an assistant director to Kim Jin-won for the drama The Innocent Man. Her breakthrough came when she took on the role of the main director for the KBS Drama Special - Yeonwoo's Summer in 2013.

In early 2014, Lee began planning the project Snowy Road in collaboration with writer Yoo Bo-ra. Set in 1944 during the final years of the Japanese colonial period, the story depicts the harrowing realities faced by two young women, Jong-bun (Kim Hyang-gi) and Young-ae (Kim Sae-ron), who were forced to be comfort women. Despite the weight of the subject matter, the principal photography was completed in just 17 days.

Although the project premiered as a two-part television special on KBS1 in 2015, KBS had envisioned it as a feature film from its inception. This dual-format strategy was intentional; while broadcasting content faced distribution hurdles in Japan, a theatrical version offered a pathway to international film festivals and human rights screenings. To facilitate this, the production utilized both broadcasting and film crews, and the script was developed collaboratively to suit both mediums. The goal was to maximize viewership and raise global awareness regarding the historical issue. a date chosen to coincide with South Korea's Independence Movement Day in South Korea, which commemorates the 1919 March First Movement. Snowy Road gained significant international recognition, notably winning the Prix Italia for TV Drama/TV Movie at the 67th Prix Italia Awards in 2016. In 2021, Love Alarm was ranked as the sixth most-watched K-drama worldwide on Netflix, and by 2022, it was the ninth most-searched Korean drama globally. Director Lee Na-jeong said, "I wanted to portray the love and growth of three men and women who face the most ecstatic and exciting moments as well as the most painful and terrible moments while embodying the wonderfully well-crafted world of the original work. I want to share the deep emotion of the original work with more people." In 2021, Lee collaborated with Writer Baek Mi-kyung on a drama centered around the theme of motherhood. Initially titled "Blue Diamond," Lee suggested changing the title to Mine, which Baek Mi-kyung gladly accepted. It explores the lives of wealthy family members and their servants, delving into the complexities of their relationships. Each women character defy societal prejudices to find their "truly mine." Mine made history as the first Korean drama to feature a lesbian character in a leading role, further expanding representation in the industry. "We put a lot of effort into expressing the luxury of the real upper class on screen. Because it is set in the top 1%, I thought there should be plenty to see, but the visuals should not be boring or distracting. I wanted to create a drama that would appeal to viewers' eyes and ears. We created a visual pre-production team (prior to filming) and prepared the concept for about 4 months, researching what kind of buildings the upper class likes in 2021 and what they use, wear, and eat. Based on this, we clearly communicated the image and direction we wanted to create to the staff, including the cinematographer and art director, and completed the work together. I also wanted to present a new standard for luxury. I tried to convey the feelings of real rich people by clearly choosing emptiness and filling." — Lee Na-jeong, Women Donga's Interview. premiered on tvN on May 8, 2021. It aired every Saturday and Sunday at 21:00 (KST) until June 27, 2021. Netflix acquired the exclusive rights for international distribution. The drama garnered substantial ratings throughout its run. With an average nationwide viewership of 8.208% and 9.078% in the metropolitan area, Mine attracted an average of 1.826 million viewers per episode. The drama's final episode recorded an average of 10.5% and 11.2% ratings for households nationwide and in the metropolitan area, respectively. These numbers surpassed its own previous highest ratings in both segments.

In 2021, Fine Cut, an overseas film distribution company, announced the news that Lee signed a deal with Brillstein Entertainment Partners in 2021, which has a number of production studios and Hollywood stars under its wing. She became the first Korean female TV director to have joined a U.S. management agency. Missy Malkin from Brillstain decided to signed Lee after watching tvN mystery thriller Mine (2021).

Studio Trii, Imaginus In March 2024, it was reported that Lee joined Studio Trii as a creator, alongside director Lee Yoon-jung. Studio Trii, established in June 2022 by CEO Kim Jin-yi, operates as a production label under Imaginus, a media firm founded by former Studio Dragon CEO Choi Jin-hee.

Filmography Film

Web drama + Web drama creditsYearTitleOTTCredited as English KoreanScriptwriter Director Production Company Planner 2019 Love Alarm Season 1 좋아하면 울리는 Netflix Kim Jin-yi Studio Dragon

Accolades +Awards and nominationsYearAwardCategoryRecipientResultRef. 2016 28th Korea Producer Awards Best Picture in the TV DramaSnowy Road 24th Golden Rooster Awards Best Foreign Film 2017 Brand of the Year AwardsDrama of the YearFight for My Way 1st The Seoul AwardsBest Drama 201830th Korea Producer AwardsBest Drama 54th Baeksang Arts Awards 13th Seoul International Drama AwardsExcellence Award for Korean Drama Best Comedy 202258th Baeksang Arts AwardsBest DirectorMine

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