Lee Kyoung-mi, a renowned South Korean film director and screenwriter, was born in December 1973 in Seoul. She initially pursued a Russian degree at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, but later shifted her focus towards filmmaking. After working in a company for three years, Lee enrolled in the School of Film, TV & Multimedia at the Korea National University of Arts, graduating with a major in Filmmaking in 2004.
Before venturing into feature filmmaking, Lee made a name for herself with her short film Feel Good Story, which gained recognition in the film festival circuit in 2004. The film revolves around an employee tasked with finding ways for her company to avoid paying taxes. Lee's work caught the attention of Park Chan-wook, with whom she collaborated on the script and as assistant director for his 2005 film Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.
Lee's feature directorial debut, Crush and Blush (2008),is a black comedy that tells the story of an obsessive teacher and an outcast student who bond over their shared misanthropy. The film premiered at the 13th Busan International Film Festival and was released in theaters on October 16, 2008. Crush and Blush received critical acclaim, with a critic describing it as "one of those rare films from an up-and-coming auteur that shows both guts and playfulness."
Lee's achievements in the film industry did not go unnoticed. She won the Best New Director and Best Screenplay awards at the Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2008, solidifying her position as a talented and innovative filmmaker in South Korea.
