Joseph Kahn (director)

Kahn was born Ahn Jun-hee ({{korean|안준희}}) in Busan, South Korea.{{cite web|last1=Jeong|first1=Cheon-gi (정천기)|title=American music video director Joseph Kahn enters Korea (美 뮤직비디오 감독 조셉 칸 한국 진출)|url=http://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N0300180820|publisher=Seoul Broadcasting System|access-date=June 17, 2015|language=ko|date=April 25, 2001|archive-date=June 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604100208/http://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N0300180820|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Han|first1=Brian|title=Taylor Swift 'Blank Space' director Joseph Kahn digs deep into Korean roots|url=http://www.koreatimesus.com/taylor-swift-blank-space-director-joseph-kahn-digs-deep-into-korean-roots/|website=The Korea Times|access-date=June 17, 2015|date=November 24, 2014|archive-date=December 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229184954/http://www.koreatimesus.com/taylor-swift-blank-space-director-joseph-kahn-digs-deep-into-korean-roots/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Yun|first1=Hyeon-jin (윤현진)|title=Joseph Kahn: "Korea should be proud of BoA" (interview) [조셉칸 "한국은 보아를 자랑스러워하라" (인터뷰)]|url=http://www.newsen.com/news_view.php?uid=200906151527371002|publisher=Newsen|access-date=June 17, 2015|language=ko|date=June 16, 2009|archive-date=June 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604232349/http://www.newsen.com/news_view.php?uid=200906151527371002|url-status=live}} His family spent part of his childhood there and in Livorno, Italy until moving to Jersey Village, Texas, a suburb of Houston, when Joseph was seven.{{cite web|title=Bio|url=http://josephkahn.com/bio/|website=JosephKahn.com|access-date=June 17, 2015|archive-date=October 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029125132/http://www.josephkahn.com/bio|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Yin|first1=Wesley|title=Joseph Kahn, the infamous director of Taylor Swift's music videos, tells the ugly truth|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/joseph-kahn-the-infamous-director-of-taylor-swifts-music-videos-tells-the-ugly-truth/2016/08/05/14166a36-54d0-11e6-bbf5-957ad17b4385_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=February 21, 2018|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126064234/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/joseph-kahn-the-infamous-director-of-taylor-swifts-music-videos-tells-the-ugly-truth/2016/08/05/14166a36-54d0-11e6-bbf5-957ad17b4385_story.html|url-status=live}} After graduating from Jersey Village High School in 1990, Kahn went to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts but dropped out after a year. Returning to Houston, began to direct hip hop music videos.

Kahn's videography spans thirty years. In the mid-1990s he directed music videos for artists including Aaliyah, Ice Cube, Backstreet Boys and Snoop Dogg. In 2003, Kahn won his first Grammy for Eminem's "Without Me" video which also won the MTV VMA's Best Video of the Year, as well as Best Direction. His video for Katy Perry "Waking Up in Vegas" won the MVPA 2009 Best Video of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0994538/awards|title=Joseph Kahn|website=IMDb|access-date=October 12, 2018|archive-date=April 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423181832/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0994538/awards?|url-status=live}}

Kahn's usage of Japanese pop culture in music videos first began with Janet Jackson's "Doesn't Really Matter" video. The video was also the most expensive video Kahn has directed and is among the most expensive of all time, costing over $2.5 million.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/081017/article.asp?parentID=99179|title=Asia Pacific Arts: APA Top Ten: Joseph Kahn music videos|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=Diehl, Matt|date=October 17, 2008|access-date=May 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022162010/http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/081017/article.asp?parentID=99179|archive-date=October 22, 2008}}

In 2014, Kahn was given The Icon Award by the UK Music Video Awards.{{Cite news|url=http://www.promonews.tv/news/2014/11/11/uk-music-video-awards-2014-hiro-murai-wins-best-director-daniels-take-video-year|title=UK Music Video Awards 2014: Hiro Murai wins Best Director, DANIELS take Video Of The Year, Joseph Kahn accepts Icon Award on Promo News|work=Promonews|access-date=October 12, 2018|language=en|archive-date=October 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013091724/http://www.promonews.tv/news/2014/11/11/uk-music-video-awards-2014-hiro-murai-wins-best-director-daniels-take-video-year|url-status=live}} In 2015, Kahn directed MTV's choices for Video of the Year, Best Pop Video, Best Female Video, and Best Collaboration for multiple videos from American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's fifth studio album 1989, including "Blank Space", "Bad Blood", "Wildest Dreams" and "Out of the Woods" and her sixth studio album Reputation, including "Look What You Made Me Do", "...Ready for It?", "End Game" and "Delicate".{{Cite web|url=http://larkcreative.tv/portfolio_page/joseph-kahn/|title=Lark {{!}} Joseph Kahn|website=larkcreative.tv|language=en-US|access-date=October 12, 2018|archive-date=November 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111104658/http://larkcreative.tv/portfolio_page/joseph-kahn/|url-status=live}} He won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video of 2015 for Swift's single "Bad Blood" featuring Kendrick Lamar.{{Cite news|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/joseph-kahn|title=Joseph Kahn|date=May 22, 2018|work=GRAMMY.com|access-date=October 12, 2018|language=en}}

In 2017, Kahn won the American Country Music Awards Video of the Year for "Forever Country."{{Cite web|url=http://theboot.com/2017-acm-awards-video-of-the-year/|title='Forever Country' Earns Video of the Year at the 2017 ACM Awards|website=The Boot|date=April 3, 2017|language=en|access-date=October 12, 2018|archive-date=October 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012214613/http://theboot.com/2017-acm-awards-video-of-the-year/|url-status=live}} In 2019, Kahn collaborated with Ava Max for the "Torn" music video, and directed a new music video for Mariah Carey's 1994 hit, "All I Want for Christmas Is You".[https://www.chaosandcomrades.com/news/2019/12/16/mariah-careys-all-i-want-for-christmas-becomes-her-19th-1-single Mariah Carey's 19th Number #1 Single and New Music Video by Joseph Kahn] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802183055/https://www.chaosandcomrades.com/news/2019/12/16/mariah-careys-all-i-want-for-christmas-becomes-her-19th-1-single |date=August 2, 2020 }} by Ashton Brooks at Chaos and Comrades, December 16, 2019. In 2022, Kahn directed a music video for Chris Brown's "Iffy".{{Cite web|title=Chris Brown Drops 'Iffy' Video|url=https://www.rap-up.com/2022/01/14/chris-brown-iffy-video/|access-date=2022-01-17|website=Rap-Up|language=en-US|archive-date=January 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116110556/https://www.rap-up.com/2022/01/14/chris-brown-iffy-video/|url-status=live}}

File:Joseph kahn 01 (cropped).jpg at the Los Angeles Film School, 2012]]

Kahn also directed the 2004 action film Torque starring Ice Cube.{{Citation|title=Torque|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329691/|access-date=October 12, 2018|archive-date=September 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904183044/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329691/|url-status=live}} In May 2007, it was announced that he would direct an adaptation of William Gibson's science fiction classic Neuromancer for producer Peter Hoffman. On May 7, 2010, Fangoria reported that Vincenzo Natali, the director of Cube and Splice, had taken over directing duties and would also rewrite the screenplay.{{cite web |last=Gingold |first=Michael |url=http://fangoria.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=785:natali-takes-neuromancer-for-the-big-screen&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=167 |title=Natali takes "NEUROMANCER" for the big screen |publisher=Fangoria.com |access-date=May 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100509052115/http://www.fangoria.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=785:natali-takes-neuromancer-for-the-big-screen&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=167 |archive-date=May 9, 2010 |url-status=dead }} In 2011, Kahn directed the low-budget self-financed horror comedy Detention.{{cite web|url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/20521|title=Celebrated Music Video Director Shows Up for 'Detention'|date=June 11, 2010|access-date=June 10, 2010|archive-date=June 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613012905/http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/20521|url-status=live}} After winning a number of audience favorite awards on the film festival circuit,{{Cite web|url=http://www.josephkahn.com/project/7849/detention|title=Detention {{!}} Joseph Kahn|website=www.josephkahn.com|language=en|access-date=October 12, 2018|archive-date=December 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216041829/http://www.josephkahn.com/project/7849/detention|url-status=live}} Detention was picked up for theatrical distribution by Sony for a release in 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/sony_pictures_worldwide_opts_for_detention/ |title=Sony Pictures Worldwide Opts For 'Detention' |date=June 15, 2011 |access-date=October 27, 2011 |archive-date=June 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624041555/http://www.indiewire.com/article/sony_pictures_worldwide_opts_for_detention/ |url-status=live }}

In July 2016, test footage for the DC Comics character Swamp Thing was released which was directed by Kahn for the potential Justice League Dark film.{{cite web|url=http://collider.com/swamp-thing-justice-league-dark-joseph-kahn/|title=Watch 'Detention' Director Joseph Kahn's 'Swamp Thing' Test for 'Justice League Dark'|website=Collider|date=July 27, 2016|access-date=May 17, 2017|archive-date=May 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512200944/http://collider.com/swamp-thing-justice-league-dark-joseph-kahn|url-status=live}} Kahn's latest film is Bodied, a satirical black comedy about racial tensions in the world of battle rap. The film was produced by Eminem and premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the People's Choice Award in the Midnight Madness section.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}} Bodied continued to pick up the Audience Awards at both AFI Fest{{cite web | url=https://www.afi.com/news/afi-fest-2017-announces-award-winners/ | title=AFI FEST 2017 Announces Award Winners | date=February 17, 2024 | access-date=October 30, 2023 | archive-date=October 30, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030205612/https://www.afi.com/news/afi-fest-2017-announces-award-winners/ | url-status=live }} and Austin's Fantastic Fest.[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toronto-three-billboards-ebbing-missouri-captures-audience-award-1039727 "Toronto: 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' Captures Audience Award"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921071139/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toronto-three-billboards-ebbing-missouri-captures-audience-award-1039727 |date=September 21, 2017 }}. The Hollywood Reporter, September 17, 2017. His fourth feature film, Ick, starring Brandon Routh, Malina Weissman and Mena Suvari, was scheduled for release in 2024 and will premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/brandon-routh-mena-suvarijoseph-kahn-ick-1235943576/|title=Brandon Routh and Mena Suvari to Star in Joseph Kahn's 'Ick' From Interstellar Entertainment|author=Katcy Stephan|date=March 15, 2024}}

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{{main|Joseph Kahn videography}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.josephkahn.com}}
• {{IMDb name|0994538}}

{{Joseph Kahn}}

{{MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kahn, Joseph}}

Category:1972 births

Category:American film directors of Korean descent

Category:American music video directors

Category:Film directors from Los Angeles

Category:Film directors from Texas

Category:Grammy Award winners

Category:Jersey Village High School alumni

Category:Living people

Category:People from Busan

Category:Mass media people from Houston

Category:People from Livorno

Category:People from Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles

Category:South Korean emigrants to the United States

Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni