Song Chung-seop (; born June 14, 1962), better known by the pen name Lee Mu-yeong () is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, novelist and theater critic.

Early life He was born in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, and grew up in Seoul. The son of a pastor, their family emigrated to the United States while he was in high school. Later, he enrolled to School of Business at the Rutgers University. In 1983, while still in the U.S., he made his debut as a theater critic.

Career

Early career (1990–1996) Song Chung-seop his professional career as a radio producer at joined , a position he held until July 1991. In March 1992, he debuted as a theater director and adopted the pen name Lee Mu-young. He followed this shortly after with his debut as a music critic in June 1992.

In February 1993, Lee enrolled in the graduate program for Theater and Film Studies at Chung-Ang University. Throughout 1993, he established a wide range of professional credits: becoming a film critic in March, a poet in June, a theater actor in July, and a musical actor in October. He subsequently debuted as an essayist in May 1994. After graduating from Chung-Ang University in February 1995, Lee transitioned quickly into the film industry. He began working as a film critic that April, followed by his debuts as both an actor and a screenwriter in early 1996, the latter for the film Born to Kill.

The Park-Ri-Damae partnership Lee and Park Chan-wook first met in 1991 through an introduction by actor Song Seung-hwan. Their professional relationship strengthened as Park became a frequent guest on Lee's radio program. Reflecting on their partnership, Park noted that while Lee's early scripts seemed amateurish, their unconventional nature provided a creative freedom that allowed the pair to "hit it off" immediately. Lee has described their collaborative process as a seamless partnership without a formal division of labor; they often alternate between dictating and typing, a method Lee believes is significantly more efficient than writing alone.

In 2000, they established the collective pen name Park-Ri-Damae () a portmanteau of their surnames inspired by the production company Oeyu Naegang. Their first official credit under this name was for Yoo Young-sik's Anarchists (2000). Their collaboration continued through a prolific period that included Park's Joint Security Area (2000), Lee's The Humanist (2001), and the 2002 films A Bizarre Love Triangle (directed by Lee) and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (directed by Park).

In 2003, Lee returned to the United States to attend a graduate program in Theatre and Stage Production at Theatre and Stage Production at Kean University in New Jersey, earning his master's degree in 2005. That same year, he reunited with Park Chan-wook as Park-Ri-Damae, working with director Yoon Tae-yong to co-write the screenplay for the fantasy film Boy Goes to Heaven.

Later career and academic work (2009–present) Lee's later career combined academic and literary pursuits. He served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Theater and Film at Seokyeong University from February 2009 to August 2009. In July 2011, he acted as a jury member for the competition section of the 7th Jecheon International Music & Film Festival in Chungcheongbuk-do. His debut as a novelist followed in September 2011. Since August 2015, he has served as an associate professor in the Department of Film Studies at Dongseo University.

Personal life Family Born into a religious household as the son of a pastor, Lee is a practicing Christian who maintains a daily morning prayer routine. He is married to former actress Jang Soo-young, the younger sister of actor Jang Se-jin. The couple met while attending the wedding of announcers Son Beom-soo and Jin Yang-hye as guests of the groom and bride, respectively.

Politic Progressive New Party Standing Committee Member and Special Advisor for Cultural and Arts Administration (July 2008 - November 2008)

Bibliography +List of published worksYearTitleCategoryNoteEnglishKorean1992Neglected Marrow: Dad Freddie Lennon, Reserve Lieutenant in the British Navy외면을 받은 골수 기러기 아빠 프레디 레논 예비역 영국 해군 상사Music Criticism1992Chungsubi at Twenty-Two스물둘의 충섭이Poetry1993Peeking at Humphrey Bogart's Clark Gable Lady험프리 보가트 형님의 클라크 게이블 아우님 훔쳐보기Film Criticism1994Like the Tide, Like the Wave of Affection밀물 같은 호감, 썰물 같은 정...Essay1995The Origin of the National Central Theater of Korea, the Theater Group Shinhyup대한민국 국립중앙극장의 기원이 된 극단 신협Theater Criticism2008Dreaming꿈꾀끼꼴깡EssayPeople Who Own the Future, 272 pages2011New Village새남터NovelFirst full-length novel, Human and Book Publishing2013The Pretentious Romanticist각하는 로맨티스트NovelHuman and Book Publishing 2015 Rediscovering Masterpieces명곡의 재발견 Music Criticism Score Publishing, 488 pages

Filmography Filmmaking credit +Feature Film CreditsYearTitleCredited asNotesDirectorScreenwriter1996 Born to Kill Screenwriter debut1997 Trio 2000 Anarchists Joint Security Area 2001 Film director debut 2002Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance A Bizarre Love Triangle 2005Boy Goes to Heaven 2008 2008Just Kidding 2016 Also as producer

Acting Film +Acting credit Year Title Role Notes 1996 Transmutated Head Cameo2001My Sassy GirlCameo 2002 No Blood No Tears Manager Cameo 2012How to Use Guys with Secret TipsMorning Pro Male MCSex, Lies, and VideotapeUdon restaurant owner

Television +Television appearances Year Title Role Network Notes 1993–1995 The Nation Now KBSMorning news program, movie segment host 1996 Color – Red actor KBS TV series 1996–2000 SBS Midnight TV Entertainment SBS TV 1999–2000 Movie Show Movies Are Good Film critic iTVTV show 2009 Cinema Paradiso Panelist EBS 2012 MC TV Chosun 2013 Yoo Jae-sik's Business Special panelist JTBC 2018Somehow an AdultLecturertvN StorySpecial lecture2025New-Oldboy Park Chan-wookHimselfSBS TVSBS TV Special Chuseok Documentary

Radio +Radio show Year Title Role Network Notes 1990 Youth's Music WorldPD PBC 1996–1998 Movie ExpressDJ DCN 1998–2000 Lee Mu-young's Popsworld KBS 2FM 2008–2012 Lee Mu-young's Pop English EBS FM 2012 Short Story World Narrator 2015 Reading Radio Reading Series DJ

Theater +Theater performance Year Title Role Genre Notes 1992 King Lear Theater Director 1993 Hamlet King Claudius Theater Actor, Lead role 1993 Guys and Dolls Benny Southstreet Musical Supporting Actor 2004 Sunday Seoul () Theater Playwright

Awards and nominations AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultBusan International Film Festival Asian Project Market2011Grand Prize Saenamteo Lotte Entertainment Screenplay Contest 2013 Grand Prize Ok-hee

Notes

References

External links

Official website