TITLE: Cinematographer Park Min-woo Completes DP Work on Film ‘Band of Gods’
CONTENT:
Cinematographer Park Min-woo KSC has wrapped up his 15th project with the film ‘Band of Gods’. Serving as the DP cinematographer, he oversaw both camera operation and lighting in an integrated manner, consistently designing the film’s visual direction and on-set tone.
‘Band of Gods’, directed by Kim Hyung-hyeop, is produced by Studio Target, distributed by CJ, and will be screened through CGV. Starring Park Si-hoo and 2AM member Jung Jin-woon, the film embraces the comedy genre while capturing human irony and emotional nuances through its North Korean setting. The blend of commercial appeal and unique subject matter has drawn industry attention even before its release.
Since 2008, Park studied and worked on set in New York, majoring in directing at Pratt Institute. Based on the American DP system, he has served as a cinematographer on 15 projects, directed two feature films, and edited three feature films. His experience across cinematography, directing, and editing has shaped an approach that considers not only technical aspects but also narrative structure and rhythm. After returning to Korea in late 2019, he has continued to work steadily on films and television, including the KBS drama ‘Oasis’ (2023).
Principal photography for ‘Band of Gods’ took place in Mongolia’s winter landscape in early 2024. Outdoor shoots faced temperatures as low as –40°C, with indoor shoots dropping to between –15 and –20°C. Despite repeated equipment freezing and physical exhaustion, scenes filmed in such extreme cold captured the actors’ natural breaths and movements on screen rather than relying on artificial direction. The harsh environment itself became part of the mise-en-scène, enhancing the film’s sense of realism.
Park defines the role of a cinematographer not merely as camera operation but also as taking responsibility for lighting and the overall visual tone on set. His method of designing camera and lighting in an integrated manner simplifies collaboration with the direction and art departments while focusing on directly reflecting each scene’s emotional trajectory and narrative flow on screen. Although influenced by the American DP system, this approach remains a transitional model in the Korean film industry.
In this respect, ‘Band of Gods’ serves not only as part of Park’s individual filmography but also as a case study demonstrating how the role of a cinematographer can be expanded in the Korean film production environment. It proves that an integrated DP approach can function effectively on set within the traditional practice of separating cinematography and lighting.
Also trained in directing, Park is currently working on scriptwriting. His plan to independently direct a film set at the spatial and cultural intersection of Korea, North Korea, and Northeast Asia is a natural extension of his work. There is keen interest in how his accumulated on-set experience and visual language will translate into his future directorial projects.
“This film was shot in genuinely harsh conditions, allowing the actors’ movements and breaths to be captured authentically on screen,” Park said. “By integrating cinematography and lighting rather than separating them, we focused on preserving the set’s atmosphere and emotional tone as naturally as possible. Although the conditions were extreme, they contributed to the scenes’ authenticity.”
Meanwhile, Park has received the New Cinematographer Award at the 44th Golden Cinematography Awards in 2024, the Newcomer Award in the Film category at the Korea Arts & Culture Awards in 2025, and the Bronze Cinematography Award at the 45th Golden Cinematography Awards in the same year.
