Kim Kyu-tae

{{Short description|South Korean television director and producer}}

{{family name hatnote|Kim||lang=Korean}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Kim Kyu-tae

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date =

| birth_place = South Korea

| occupation = Television director

| years_active = 1996-present

| spouse =

| agent = GTist

| module = {{Infobox Korean name|child=yes|headercolor=transparent

| hangul = 김규태

| hanja =

| rr = Gim Gyutae

| mr = Kim Kyut'ae

}}}}

Kim Kyu-tae is a South Korean television director and producer. He directed the Korean dramas A Love to Kill (2005), Iris (2009), Padam Padam (2011), That Winter, the Wind Blows (2013), It's Okay, That's Love (2014), and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016).

Career

Kim Kyu-tae joined the KBS network in 1996, where he first worked as an assistant director then as a second unit director, notably for Yellow Handkerchief (2003). For the single-episode anthology Drama City, Kim drew critical acclaim in 2004 for two low-budget but visually stylish and experimental episodes: Anagram (starring Kim Yoon-seok and Ku Hye-sun) and Blue Skies of Jeju Island (starring Uhm Tae-woong and Kim Yoon-seok).{{cite web|title=TV Reviews: 아이리스 (Iris)|url=http://twitchfilm.com/2009/12/tv-reviews-iris.html|website=Twitch Film|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=18 December 2009|archive-date=22 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222012150/http://twitchfilm.com/2009/12/tv-reviews-iris.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=My Name Is: Min Ji-ah|url=http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?idxno=2010022514151430989|website=10Asia|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=25 February 2010}}

A Love to Kill (2005) was Kim's first miniseries as the main director. Written by Lee Kyung-hee, the melodrama starred Rain and Shin Min-a as a K-1 fighter and the actress he targets for revenge but unexpectedly falls for. A Love to Kill was not as well-received ratings-wise as Lee's previous dramas, but Kim won Best New Television Director at the 42nd Baeksang Arts Awards in 2006.{{cite web|title=Korean TV Drama Reviews: 이 죽일놈의 사랑 (A Love To Kill)|url=http://twitchfilm.net/archives/005311.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080128203101/http://twitchfilm.net/archives/005311.html|website=Twitch Film|archivedate=28 January 2008|date=2 March 2006}}

In 2009, he and Yang Yun-ho co-directed Iris, the popular espionage action series starring Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae-hee. Kim said, "We approached Iris like it was a spy film, so viewers will get to watch movie-like scenes along with the emotional details that have made Korean drama so popular over the years at the same time. [...] We feel great responsibility and excitement at bringing such a genre based on the world's last divided country. While men will be attracted to the action scenes, along with the friendship and revenge between fellow agents and enemies, women can connect with the emotional details between the lovely and handsome characters, torn between love and their duties."{{cite web|last1=Han|first1=Sang-hee|title=Iris to Bring Spy Story to Small Screen|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/05/201_45568.html|website=The Korea Times|access-date=19 September 2015|date=24 May 2009}} Cast member Kim So-yeon said the two different crews were called "Team K" and "Team Y," describing Kim's team as having "a warm charisma and is always filled with quiet laughter. When you shoot in that kind of atmosphere, you feel like you're soaking into that as well."{{cite web|title=Interview: Kim So-yeon in Iris - Part 1|url=http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?idxno=2009110318462732174|website=10Asia|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=3 November 2009}}

Kim first worked with screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung when he was the second unit director on The World That They Live In (also known as Worlds Within) in 2008. He reunited with her in 2011 for Padam Padam... The Sound of His and Her Heartbeats, a romance-fantasy about a man who gets released from prison after serving a 16-year sentence for a crime he didn't commit. It was Jung Woo-sung's television comeback and the inaugural drama of newly launched cable network jTBC.{{cite web|title=Jung Woo-sung, Kim Beom photos for Padam Padam revealed|url=http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?idxno=2011092709343190358|website=10Asia|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=27 September 2011}} Kim said he was "in awe" of Noh's work and wanted to effectively depict her "difficult writing" onscreen.

That Winter, the Wind Blows, a 2013 remake of the Japanese television drama Ai Nante Irane Yo, Natsu ("I Don't Need Love, Summer") in which a con man pretends to be the long-lost brother of a blind heiress, was Kim's third collaboration with Noh and his first time to work for SBS.{{cite web|last1=Oh|first1=Jean|title=Zo In-sung opens up on latest role|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130314000768|website=The Korea Herald|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=14 March 2013}} Kim said, "To help viewers better understand the characters' emotions, I used ultra close-up shots," a visual technique that accentuates even the smallest movement in actors' faces or the twinkle in their eyes.{{cite web|last1=Han|first1=Eun-hwa|title=Baramibunda ready for its close-up|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2968006|website=Korea JoongAng Daily|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=5 March 2013}} He went on, "The reason we are able to create beautiful shots is because both Jo In-sung and Song Hye-kyo are beautiful people whether we do a full shot or a tight shot. [...] The tone of the drama itself is very heavy that viewers may get frustrated. So I thought the only way to soften up and relax the drama is to capture beautiful scenes. [...] I'm just able to film beautiful things as much as I want." He then used post-production editing to bring out the colors and textures he wanted.{{cite web|url=http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/8583/20130316/winter-wind-blows-secret-behind-figure-mirror.htm|title=That Winter, The Wind Blows Secret Behind the Figure in the Mirror|date=16 March 2013|accessdate=17 September 2015|website=KDramaStars}}{{Unreliable source?|reason=See reliable sources list on WP:KO/RS|date=December 2024}} Kim was praised for the drama's cinematography, and later won Best Television Director at the 49th Baeksang Arts Awards.

In 2014, Kim directed Secret Love, starring the girl group KARA.{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Sun-min|title=KARA plans on several one-act plays|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2969034|website=Korea JoongAng Daily|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=25 March 2013}} It aired on cable channel DRAMAcube and had five different episodes, one for each member of KARA.{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Sun-min|title=KARA one-act play is in the works|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2971773|website=Korea JoongAng Daily|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=20 May 2013}} Scenes from Secret Love were also featured in the music video for the KARA song "Runaway."

Later that year, Kim worked with Noh for the fourth time in It's Okay, That's Love, a romance that explored mental illness, starring Jo In-sung and Gong Hyo-jin as a mystery novelist and a psychiatrist, respectively.{{cite web|last1=Baek |first1=Byung-yeul |title=Jo In-sung's drama touches on mental illness |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2015/06/201_161311.html |website=The Korea Times |access-date=19 September 2015 |date=18 July 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120105/http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2015/06/201_161311.html |archive-date= 4 March 2016 }}{{cite web|last1=Kim|first1=Hee-eun|title=SBS performs ritual for success|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2990513|website=Korea JoongAng Daily|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=13 June 2014}} Kim called it "a necessary drama," saying he wanted to break away from the traditional genre of a medical drama/romantic comedy by making It's Okay, That's Love into "a hybrid" that puts more weight on breaking the social prejudices toward the minority groups. Kim added, "Ms. Noh, the writer, has the seriousness and the weight and I have the lightness and mass-friendliness. Together we make a great synergy. [...] I personally found it hard to keep the balance between a rom-com and a conventional (melodrama). Every one scene would contain both features. So long as this balance stays unbroken, the drama will be close to perfection."{{cite web|last1=Chung|first1=Joo-won|title=Director calls It's Okay, That's Love a necessary drama|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20140723001123|website=The Korea Herald|accessdate=19 September 2015|date=23 July 2014}}

Kim directed Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, a Korean remake of the Chinese television series, Scarlet Heart. The 20-episode drama, budgeted at $13 million, premiered on August 29, 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2016/08/201_212888.html|title=Chinese remake 'Moon Lovers' to premiere|date=August 28, 2016|access-date=August 28, 2016|website=The Korea Times|last=Park|first=Jin-hai}} The drama is a critical and commercial failure domestically but it drew a more favorable response in other parts of Asia.{{Cite news|url=http://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201610261705293287011_2|title=Lee Joon-gi confirms Asia tour|access-date=2016-10-28}}{{cite web|title=After Moon Lovers' Flop, What's Lee Joon Gi's Next Move?|url=http://www.newspim.com/news/view/20161103000288|website=NewsPim}}

Filmography

= Television series =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|+{{Sronly|Television series scripts}}Television series directing credit

! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Year

! colspan="2" scope="col" |Title

! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Network

! colspan="3" |Credited as

! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

English

!Korean

!Assistant Director

!Main Director

!Producer

scope="row" |1997

|Colors

|

| rowspan="6" |KBS2

| rowspan="6" |Kim Kyu-tae

|

|

|

scope="row" | 1998

|Purity

|

|

|

|

scope="row" | 1998–1999

|Paper Crane

|

|

|

|

scope="row" | 1999

|Invitation

|

|

|

|

scope="row" | 2000

|Tough Guy's Love

|

|

|

|

scope="row" | 2001

|Orient Theatre

|

|

|

|

scope="row" | 2003

|Yellow Handkerchief

| 노란손수건

|KBS1

|Kim Kyu-tae (2nd Unit)

|

|

|

scope="row" rowspan="4" |2004

| Drama City "After Love"

| 사랑한 후에

| rowspan="8" |KBS2

| rowspan="5" |

| rowspan="7" |Kim Kyu-tae

|

|

Drama City "Our Ham"

| 우리 햄

|

|

Drama City "Anagram"

| 아나그램

|

|

Drama City "Blue Skies of Jeju Island"

| 제주도 푸른 밤

|

|

rowspan="3" scope="row" |2005

| Drama City "Oh! Sarah"

| 오!사라

|

|

Loveholic

| 러브홀릭

| Kim Kyu-tae (2nd Unit)

|

|

A Love to Kill

| 이 죽일 놈의 사랑

|

|

|

scope="row" |2008

|Worlds Within

|그들이 사는 세상

| Kim Kyu-tae (2nd Unit)

| Pyo Min-soo

|

|

scope="row" | 2009

| Iris

| 시티헌터

|SBS

| rowspan="13" |

| rowspan="8" |Kim Kyu-tae

|

|

scope="row" |2011–2012

|Padam Padam

|빠담빠담.... 그와 그녀의 심장박동소리

|JTBC

|

| {{cite web |last=Lee |first=Jin-ho |date=30 November 2011 |title=Noh Hee Kyung Says, "I had little interest in Jung Woo Sung." |url=http://enewsworld.interest.me/enews/contents.asp?idx=1869 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130703031647/http://enewsworld.interest.me/enews/contents.asp?idx=1869 |archive-date=3 July 2013 |accessdate=2013-05-22 |work=enewsWorld |publisher=CJ E&M}}{{cite web |last=Kang |first=Hye-ran |date=30 August 2011 |title=The heart-pounding thrill of the race |url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2940853 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411052352/http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2940853 |archive-date=April 11, 2013 |accessdate=2013-02-18 |work=Korea JoongAng Daily}}

scope="row" |2013

|That Winter, the Wind Blows

|그 겨울, 바람이 분다

| rowspan="2" |SBS

|

|{{cite web |last=Hong |first=Grace Danbi |date=February 17, 2013 |title=Song Hye Kyo Says Working with Zo in Sung was a Gift from Above |url=http://enewsworld.mnet.com/enews/contents.asp?idx=29281 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160617184046/http://mwave.interest.me/enewsworld/en/article/29281/song-hye-kyo-poses-for-high-cut |archive-date=June 17, 2016 |access-date=February 18, 2013 |work=enewsWorld |publisher=CJ E&M}}

rowspan="2" scope="row" |2014

|It's Okay, That's Love

|괜찮아, 사랑이야

|Kim Kyu-tae

| {{cite web |last1=Chung |first1=Joo-won |date=July 23, 2014 |title=Director calls It's Okay, That's Love a necessary drama |url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20140723001123 |access-date=July 25, 2014 |website=The Korea Herald}}

Secret Love

|시크릿 러브

|DRAMAcube

|

|

rowspan="2" scope="row" |2016

|Dear My Friends

|디어 마이 프렌즈

|tvN

|

|{{Cite web |author=Hong Se-young |date=October 22, 2015 |script-title=ko:노희경 신작 '디어 마이 프렌즈', 고현정·조인성 등 라인업 확정 [공식입장] |url=http://sports.donga.com/3/all/20151022/74318558/1 |access-date=May 10, 2016 |work=The Dong-A Ilbo |language=ko}}

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

| 달의 연인 – 보보경심 려

| SBS

| rowspan="5" |Kim Kyu-tae

|

scope="row" |2017

|The Most Beautiful Goodbye

|세상에서 가장 아름다운 이별

| rowspan="5" |tvN

|{{cite web |date=October 16, 2017 |script-title=ko:[공식입장] tvN 측 "김영옥·원미경, 노희경 '세상에서~' 출연확정" |url=http://osen.mt.co.kr/article/G1110752400 |work={{ill|Osen (newspaper)|ko|OSEN|lt=OSEN}} |language=ko}}

scope="row" |2018

|Live

|라이브

|Kim Kyu-tae

|{{cite web |date=December 1, 2017 |title=Noh Hee-kyeong's "Live" Holds First Script Reading |url=https://www.hancinema.net/orion-s-daily-ramblings-noh-hee-kyeong-s-live-holds-first-script-reading-112893.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203181502/https://www.hancinema.net/orion-s-daily-ramblings-noh-hee-kyeong-s-live-holds-first-script-reading-112893.html |archive-date=February 3, 2018 |access-date=February 3, 2018 |work=HanCinema}}

scope="row" | 2019

| The Crowned Clown

| {{lang|ko|왕이 된 남자}}

|Kim Hee-won

|

scope="row" |2019

|Hotel del Luna

|호텔 델루나

|Oh Chung-hwan

|

scope="row" |2022

|Our Blues

|우리들의 블루스

|rowspan="2"|Kim Kyu-tae

|rowspan="2"|

| {{Cite web |title=Our Blues - (Korean Drama, 2022, 우리들의 블루스) |url=https://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Our_Blues.php |access-date=January 21, 2022 |website=HanCinema}}

scope="row" | 2024

| The Trunk

| 트렁크

| Netflix

| {{cite web |url=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/408/0000197221 |last=Lee |first=Ho-young |date=August 9, 2023 |publisher=iMBC |language=ko |script-title=ko:[단독] 정윤하, 공유X서현진과 '트렁크' 주연 발탁 |trans-title=[Exclusive] Jung Yun-ha, Gong Yoo X Seo Hyun-jin, selected as lead in 'Trunk' |access-date=October 30, 2024 |via=Naver}}

Awards

class="wikitable"
Year

! Award

! Category

! Recipient

! Result

2006

| Asian Television Awards

| Best Drama Series

| A Love to Kill{{cite web|title=Two KBS Programs Tops at Asian Television Awards|url=http://www.hancinema.net/two-kbs-programs-tops-at-asian-television-awards-7919.html|work=KBS World via Hancinema|accessdate=2013-05-21|date=1 December 2006|archive-date=2015-04-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403144356/http://www.hancinema.net/two-kbs-programs-tops-at-asian-television-awards-7919.html|url-status=live}}

| {{nom}}

rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" | 2010

| rowspan="2" | 46th Baeksang Arts Awards

| Best Drama

| Iris

| {{won}}

Best Director (Television)

| Yang Yun-ho and Kim Kyu-tae

| {{nom}}

rowspan="2" | 3rd Korea Drama Awards

| Best Drama

| Iris

| {{nom}}

Best Production Director in a Miniseries

| Yang Yun-ho and Kim Kyu-tae

| {{won}}

rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" | 2013

| 49th Baeksang Arts Awards

| Best Director (Television)

| Kim Kyu-tae

| {{won}}

19th Shanghai Television Festival

| Silver Award for Best Foreign TV Series

| rowspan="2" | That Winter, the Wind Blows

| {{won}}

8th Seoul International Drama Awards

| Outstanding Korean Drama

| {{nom}}

6th Korea Drama Awards

| Best Production Director

| Kim Kyu-tae

| {{nom}}

References

{{Reflist|2}}