Jang Sun-woo is a South Korean film director, he first became drawn to filmmaking after discovering the expressive power of cinema through the work of Lee Jang-ho. Introduced to Lee by writer Hwang Sok-yong, Jang began his career as an assistant director. Emerging at a time when few in Korea were pursuing realist cinema, he developed a strong interest in film as a medium for confronting social reality. His experience of imprisonment under martial law following the Gwangju Uprising deeply shaped his understanding of cinema, leading him to explore film as a way to reflect on history, society, and lived experience.