Wonsuk Chin, a Korean-born creative virtuoso, embarked on his illustrious artistic odyssey as a playwright in his native Korea, scripting the critically acclaimed comedy "Cupid's Arrow" during his tenure at Yonsei University. This sublime and ingenious Faustian farce, a testament to his remarkable talent, propelled him to unparalleled fame as the youngest playwright in Korean theater at the time, leaving an indelible mark on the Korean theatrical landscape.
Chin's relentless pursuit of artistic expression served as the catalyst for his decision to relocate to New York, where he embarked on a rigorous academic journey at the prestigious School of Visual Arts, seeking to hone his skills in the realm of filmmaking.
As the years unfolded, Chin's unwavering dedication to his craft was put to the test as he battled to establish himself within the competitive world of filmmaking. Undeterred by the challenges he faced, he poured his heart and soul into his first feature film, "Too Tired to Die," a cinematic masterpiece that boasted an impressive cast, including the talented Takeshi Kaneshiro, Mira Sorvino, and Jeffrey Wright.
The culmination of Chin's tireless efforts was the premiere of "Too Tired to Die" at the esteemed Sundance Film Festival in 1998, where it garnered widespread critical acclaim for its innovative blend of American indie sensibilities, European melancholy, and Asian flair.
In the year 2001, Chin's feature-length documentary, "e-dreams," skillfully captured the remarkable ascent and precipitous decline of Kozma.com, a company that was emblematic of the dot-com bubble's meteoric rise and subsequent collapse.
Critics widely acclaimed the film for its remarkable ability to vividly portray the dot-com bubble, with the Village Voice lavishing praise upon it, describing it as "superb" in its review.
Chin's captivating curiosity about innovative technology led him to venture into the realm of filmmaking, utilizing the versatility of an iPhone as his medium. His tribute to the visionary Steve Jobs, aptly titled "992", was shot using an iPhone 4S and made its world premiere at the esteemed Macworld/iWorld conference in 2012. Furthermore, Chin's influence extended to the production of the pioneering smartphone film "Night Fishing", a collaborative effort with acclaimed director Park Chan-wook, renowned for his work on the critically acclaimed "Oldboy".
Notable among his extensive list of productions is the 2008 cinematic endeavour, "Dance of the Dragon", a groundbreaking collaborative effort between Singaporean and Chinese-Korean filmmaking entities, marking a significant milestone in the realm of international co-productions. Additionally, his work on the 2009 creature feature film, "Chaw", showcased his versatility as a producer, successfully navigating the complexities of a Korean language production.
Chin is poised to take the helm of "Ape of Wrath", a cinematic endeavour set to unfurl in 2016. This film, penned by Chin himself, is an original screenplay that weaves a captivating narrative around an American filmmaker, reminiscent of the illustrious Ed Wood, who embarks on an ambitious project to create a colossal ape movie in South Korea during the year 1976.
