The release of Park Chan-wook’s Thirst is as good a reason as any to delve into the burgeoning Korean cinema scene. Since the release of JSA in 2000, Park has been a significant player in global film, but his rise has been symbolic of a general renaissance in his home country. In the mid-90s, Korean cinema was almost completely ignored, not only internationally but also by Koreans. The democratization of the country that had occurred in the previous decade had an impact on the country’s film lovers just as it had on the rest of Korea. The direct result of this was the emergence of a new generation of directors who wished to bring change to national cinema just as it had been brought to national politics, and had a strong sense of identity and a confidence in their own voice. Korean filmmakers also began making smart, stylish films that adopted or subverted the tropes of Hollywood and Hong Kong cinema, the two biggest movie importers in Korea. By the end of the 1990s, the country’s commercial fare was becoming competitive at the box office, while the works of its auteurs were being increasingly celebrated at film festivals around the world. Korean cinema has now become so popular, in fact, that Hollywood has taken to frequently buying Korean hits and remaking them for U.S. audiences.

In the following article, we put the spotlight on 12 prominent Korean film directors who have all been part of the country’s incredible cinematic swell.