You’ve definitely seen his work, even if you can't pronounce his name on the first try. Honestly, Chung-hoon Chung is everywhere lately. From the neon-soaked streets of Last Night in Soho to the whimsical, chocolatey haze of Wonka, he’s become the go-to guy for directors who want their movies to look expensive but feel raw.
He isn't just another guy with a light meter. He’s the first Korean cinematographer to join the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). That’s a huge deal. It’s basically the "you’ve arrived" badge in the film world. But to understand why he’s currently dominating Hollywood, you have to look back at a hallway in South Korea where a man fought twenty guys with a hammer.
From Oldboy to the Big Leagues
Most people first met Chung-hoon Chung through his collaboration with the legendary director Park Chan-wook. If you haven't seen Oldboy (2003), go do that now. Seriously. The famous "hallway fight" scene—a single, grueling long take—wasn't just a feat of choreography. It was a statement of intent. Chung didn't want the camera to feel like a witness; he wanted it to feel like it was breathing the same stale air as the protagonist.
His partnership with Park is the stuff of cinema legend. They worked on the "Vengeance Trilogy," Thirst, and the visually stunning The Handmaiden. In these films, Chung established a style that most would call "beautifully brutal." He has this weirdly effective way of using off-green tints and tungsten lights to make you feel slightly sick to your stomach, but in a way that keeps you glued to the screen.
The Hollywood Transition
A lot of cinematographers struggle when they move from indie or international cinema to the massive machine of Hollywood. Not Chung. He made his English-language debut with Stoker in 2013 and then just... kept going.
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Look at the variety here:
- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl: A desaturated, soft look for a high school drama.
- It (2017): Dark, moody, and genuinely terrifying lighting.
- Uncharted: High-octane, bright, and blockbuster-clean.
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: Bringing a cinematic weight to the Star Wars streaming universe.
Basically, he's a chameleon. He doesn't have a "signature" look that he forces onto every movie. Instead, he listens to the story. He’s gone on record saying his past as a child actor helped him understand the character’s point of view. It’s not about the coolest lens; it’s about where the character is emotionally.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Style
There’s a common misconception that Chung-hoon Chung is just a "dark and gritty" guy because of his work on Oldboy or Last Night in Soho. That’s a total oversimplification.
If you look at Wonka, the lighting is lush and magical. It’s the polar opposite of the sickly greens of a Park Chan-wook thriller. Chung’s real talent is balance. He talks a lot about finding the right equilibrium for each film. He isn't obsessed with being "original" for the sake of it. He wants to be right.
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He’s also famously anti-Steadicam. Or at least, he used to be. He prefers the stability and control of dollies and tracks. He treats the camera like an actor. If the actor changes their energy in a take, he thinks the camera should too. That’s why his shots feel so alive—they aren't just pre-programmed movements; they’re reactions.
The Technical Wizardry
For the gear nerds out there, Chung’s choices are always deliberate. On Last Night in Soho, he mixed 35mm film with digital. He used the Panaflex Millennium XL2 for the bulk of it but swapped to the ARRI Alexa for the night scenes in the actual streets of Soho. He even used a metronome on set to sync the camera movement with the music. That level of precision is why those "mirror" scenes with Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie look like actual magic.
He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Whether it's using old-school tungsten 20Ks or modern LED SkyPanels, he uses whatever tool gets the vibe right.
Why Directors Love Him
Edgar Wright, Andy Muschietti, and Paul King are wildly different directors. But they all hired Chung. Why? Because he’s a "drama-first" cinematographer. He doesn't walk onto a set and say, "I want to use this specific anamorphic lens today." He asks, "How does this character feel?"
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He’s a collaborator in the truest sense. He spent years acting as Park Chan-wook’s "right hand," and that ability to translate a director's mental image into a physical shot is his real superpower.
Actionable Insights for Aspiring Filmmakers
If you're looking at Chung-hoon Chung and wondering how to get that level of mastery, here are a few takeaways from his career:
- Study acting, not just cameras. Understanding how an actor moves and feels will tell you more about where to put the camera than any technical manual.
- Don't get married to a "look." Your style should serve the story. If you're shooting a comedy, don't try to make it look like The Handmaiden just because you like the color green.
- Master the dolly. While everyone is obsessed with handheld or gimbal shots, Chung’s work proves that there is immense power in the precision of a track-and-dolly setup.
- Focus on the "sickly" details. Small touches in color grading—like mixing tungsten with off-greens—can create a visceral reaction in the audience without them even knowing why.
Chung-hoon Chung is currently working on Edgar Wright’s The Running Man (scheduled for 2025). Based on his track record, it’s probably going to be the best-looking movie of the year. He has moved beyond being a "Korean cinematographer" and is now simply one of the best cinematographers in the world, period.
Keep an eye on the credits of the next big blockbuster you see. Odds are, he's the one behind the lens.