Kim Won-seok (Korean: 김원석; born September 7, 1977) is a South Koreanfilm director andscriptwriter. Starting his career in the directing department of the filmDr. K [Ko] in 1999. Followed by assistant director for twoRyoo Seung-wan's filmDie Bad andThe City of Violence. In 2008, he made his debut as a writer with the script adaptation of the filmLove is Beautiful [Ko]. The following year, he co-wrote and co-directed the dramaFriend, Our Legend withKwak Kyung-taek. However, it was in 2013 that he truly established himself as a writer with theMBC dramaThe Queen's Classroom. After the success ofThe Queen's Classroom, Kim went on to co-write the immensely popular dramasDescendants of the Sun andMan to Man. His latest work is the screenplay for the dramaPayback.

Kim Won-seok was born September 7, 1977. He received his Bachelor of Arts fromSeoul National University.^[1]

Kim Won-seok initially entered the entertainment industry as a director before transitioning to become a writer. He started as part of directing department of the filmDr. K [Ko] in 1999.^[2] Followed by assistant director for twoRyoo Seung-wan's filmDie Bad andThe City of Violence. In 2008, he made his debut as a writer with the script adaptation of the filmLove is Beautiful [Ko].^[3]

In 2009, Kim co-wrote and co-directedKwak Kyung-taek's dramaFriend, Our Legend. It is aremake / TVadaptation ofKwak Kyung-taek's own 2001 box-office hit filmFriend.^[2][3]

In 2013, Kim made his debut as a television writer with theMBC dramaThe Queen's Classroom, which was an adaptation ofa Japanese drama with the same name. It revolves around Ma Yeo-jin (played byGo Hyun-jung), a stern teacher who becomes the homeroom teacher of an elementary school class. The drama gained attention for its distinctive storyline, which places the children in difficult situations, forcing them to confront reality. It portrays the children's journey of personal growth and self-discovery as they navigate through a harsh teaching method that involves harsh words and extreme circumstances. Even after Ma Yeo-jin's departure, the students continue to reflect on her teachings and apply them, solidifying her status as a guiding hero for the children.^[3]

Kim Won-seok collaborated with writerKim Eun-sook on the 2016 KBS2 dramaDescendants of the Sun, which was based on Kim Won-seok's award-winning workDoctors Without Borders. The drama, set in an unfamiliar and challenging environment, depicted the struggles of young soldiers and doctors. While the romantic relationships in the series were captivating, the story also emphasized the sense of duty displayed by the main characters, portraying them as genuine heroes.Descendants of the Sun became a sensation in South Korea and China, attracting a wide audience due to its compelling storyline and exploration of life's value.^[4][5]

A year later, Kim returned with his new dramaMan to Man, which made history as the first South Korean television series to be simulcast on both television andNetflix.^[6]Man to Man tells the story of a mysterious agent who becomes a bodyguard for a famous Korean star and deals with secretive people around him. The drama presents the thrilling adventures of these secret agents in different exciting ways.^[3] The action scenes in the show are choreographed by Park Jung-ryul, who is well known for his work on the movieThe Man from Nowhere. The project is led by director Lee Chang-min. First script reading took place on October 3, 2016.^[7] Filming began on October 17, 2016, and ended on March 6, 2017,^[8] taking place inSeoul,South Korea andBudapest,Hungary.^[9]

Notably, the first episode featured a parody of a famous scene fromDescendants of the Sun', and two actors from the drama,David Lee McInnis andSong Joong-ki, made cameo appearances.^[9] DirectorKwak Kyung-taek also made cameo appearance.^[2] Director Lee Chang-min, known for shows likeBirth of a Beauty andRemember: War of the Son, had actorsLee Si-eon andNamkoong Min, who respectively acted in those dramas, make cameos inMan to Man as well.^[10]

Kim took a hiatus for several years before returning in 2023 withPayback, a revenge drama that revolves around the characters Eun-yong (played byLee Sun-kyun), a skilled financial merchant, and Jun-kyung (Moon Chae-won), a legal expert. Together, they confront a formidable cartel. The drama has achieved a noteworthy viewership rating of approximately 10%.^[5]

• Kim Won-seok atHanCinema
• Kim Won-seok atIMDb

• Living people
• 1977 births
• Seoul National University alumni
• South Korean screenwriters
• South Korean television writers
• South Korean film directors

• CS1 Korean-language sources (ko)
• CS1 uses Korean-language script (ko)
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Pages using infobox person with multiple organizations
• Articles containing Korean-language text
• Articles with hCards
• HanCinema person ID same as Wikidata