Director Lee Doo-yong passes away at 82

Movie director Lee Doo-yong, who was the first Korean to be invited to the Cannes Film Festival, passed away on Friday due to lung cancer. He was 82 years old.

Lee was born in Seoul in 1942 and graduated from Dongguk University with a degree in economics. He made his debut with the melodrama film ‘Lost Wedding Veil’ in 1970. In 1974, within a single year, he released six taekwondo films, including ‘Manchurian Tiger,’ ‘Bridge of Death,’ ‘Returned A Single-Legged Man,’ ‘Left Foot of Wrath,’ ‘Returned a Single-legged Man: 2,’ and ‘A Betrayal.' His work 'Mulberry’ (1985) marked a new era in Korean erotic films.

Lee received a special award at the Venice Film Festival for 'The Hut' (1980), which criticized the feudal system. His film, 'Spinning The Tales Of Cruelty Towards Women' (1983), depicting the miserable life of a woman, was the first Korean film to be invited to a notable section at the Cannes Film Festival.


hoho@donga.com