Kim Young-ho (Korean: 김영호; born 1970) is a South Korean cinematographer. Kim's filmography spans a wide variety of genres, including epic period drama, comedy, science fiction, and contemporary drama. Kim pioneered the use of advanced filming techniques using Hollywood filming equipment to create stylish images that are hard to see in Korean films at that time.
Kim has collaborated with numerous well-known and acclaimed filmmakers, including Kim Sung-su, Kang Je-gyu, and Kim Yong-hwa. Kim is a frequent collaborator of director Park Hoon-jung, having worked together on numerous projects including the films The Showdown (2011), V.I.P. (2017), The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion (2018), Night in Paradise (2021), The Witch: Part 2. The Other One (2022), as well as Park's first OTT drama series The Tyrant (2024).
His best-known works include Kang Je-gyu's film Tidal Wave (2009), Won Shin-yun's film The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019).
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Career
1996 to 2001: Early career, study in San Francisco
After graduating from the Department of Photography at Chung-Ang University, Kim began work on his first film in 1996 as a camera operator. Kim worked as a camera crew in films such as, Im Sang-soo's film Girls' Night Out, Min Byeong-cheon's film Phantom, the Submarine (1999) and Kim Sung-su's film Musa (2000). Despite having the opportunity to debut as a cinematographer, he chose to study at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. This bold decision, proved to be the foundation for his career. Studying abroad exposed him to the latest filming equipment in Hollywood and advanced filming techniques.
2002 to present
After returning to South Korea, Kim made his debut as a cinematographer with Yoo Ha's film Marriage Is a Crazy Thing in 2002. He drew inspiration from films like The Thin Red Line (directed by Terrence Malick, cinematography by John Toll), Kiss of Death (directed by Kathleen Bigelow, cinematography by Adam Greenberg), Hatred (directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, cinematography by Pierre Haïm), Fargo (directed by the Coen Brothers, cinematography by Roger Deakins), and Alien 3 (directed by David Fincher, cinematography by Alex Thompson). He continued to hone his craft through projects like Father and Son: The Story of Mencius (2004, Kim Ji-young), Mr. Gam's Victory, and Hello, Brother.
In 2006, Kim's career reached new heights with his work on director Jo Dong-oh's film The Restless. He reunited with film crews of film Musa (2000), such as music director Shirō Sagisu. The film explores the concept of souls awaiting reincarnation for 49 days. Kim's expertise in CG and color correction in post-production was showcased in this project. In 2007, he won the bronze medal for Best Cinematography for The Restless at the 30th Golden Cinematography Awards.
Kim met lighting director Yang Woo-sang when he was working on Beat and have been working with him ever since. Mr. Gam's Victory, Hello, Brother, The Restless, and A Good Day to Have an Affair. His work in A Good Day to Have an Affair (2007, Jang Moon-il), and Harmony (2009, Kang Dae-gyu) further solidified his reputation as a leader in the industry.
His proficiency in filming scenes using CG was highlighted in Tidal Wave (2009, Yoon Je-kyun), where he successfully integrated CG elements into large-scale settings like skyscraper, Gwangan Bridge, and wide sandy beaches. Kim received the cinematography award at the 29th Film Critics Association and the 5th Korea University Film Festival.
Kim collaborated with director Yoon Je-kyun for the film Quick. Yoon Je-kyun served as producer and co-directed with Jo Bum-goo and producer Yoon Je-kyun. Kim, along with special effects director Hong Jang-pyo, worked on the action scenes in Quick, including creating high-speed video sequences at 300 km/h. The film's highway speed, chain collision, and explosion scenes were praised for pushing the boundaries of Korean cinema.