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| Filmmaker Shin Jung-won / Korea Times file |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Director Shin Jung-won, an innovative filmmaker known for his unflinching, genre-bending films, "To Catch a Virgin Ghost" (2004) and "Night of the Undead" (2020), died of sepsis at Gangnam Severance Hospital on Saturday. He was 46.
According to his family, Shin had been unwell for a while.
"He was admitted to the hospital on Friday due to symptoms of fever and difficulty breathing. He died of sepsis complications although he had been suffering from liver cirrhosis," they said.
Shin worked as a music video director for singer Rich's "Only the Words, I Love You," as well as the visual art director for films like "Sex is Zero" (2002) and "Romantic Assassin" (2003), before directing his own film.
His breakthrough came with "To Catch a Virgin Ghost" (2004), a comedy-horror film about a gang that steals a large diamond and escapes to a small town named Sisily, where they encounter bizarre villagers. This film, which has a B-movie feel, received critical acclaim and sold over 1 million tickets.
The stylish filmmaker was active in the field and directed "Night of the Undead," which was released last year. The film features nearly all genres ― ranging from sci-fi, horror, drama, thriller, supernatural mystery and romance ― in one story.
Shin is survived by his wife and son.
