TITLE: Cinematographer Minwoo Park Wraps Up DP Work on Film ‘Band of Gods’
CONTENT:
Cinematographer Minwoo Park KSC has completed his 15th project as director of photography (DP) on the film Band of Gods, overseeing both cinematography and lighting. In this role, he integrated all visual planning to maintain a consistent on-set tone and overall aesthetic.
Directed by Hyung-hyeop Kim and produced by Studio Target, the film is distributed by CJ and will screen at CGV venues. Starring Park Si-hoo and former 2AM member Jeong Jin-woon, Band of Gods combines comedy with the unique setting of North Korea to explore human irony and emotional nuance. Its blend of commercial appeal and distinctive subject matter attracted industry attention well before its release.
Since 2008, Park has balanced studies and on-set work in New York, earning a directing degree from Pratt Institute. He has contributed as a cinematographer to 15 projects under an American-style DP system, directed two feature films, and edited three others. This breadth of experience has shaped his approach, which prioritizes narrative structure and rhythm alongside technical execution. After returning to Korea in late 2019, he continued working in both film and television, including the 2023 KBS drama Oasis.
Principal photography for Band of Gods took place in Mongolia during the 2024 winter, where outdoor temperatures dropped to –40 °C and indoor shoots remained between –15 °C and –20 °C. Despite equipment freezing and physical challenges, capturing scenes in real extreme cold preserved the actors’ natural breath and movement. The harsh environment itself became part of the mise-en-scène, enhancing the film’s realism.
Park defines the DP’s role as extending beyond camera operation to include lighting and the overall visual tone of the set. By integrating cinematography and lighting design, he streamlines collaboration with direction and art departments and directly reflects each scene’s emotional arc. Although inspired by the American DP model, this integrated approach remains an emerging practice in Korea’s film industry.
In this regard, Band of Gods goes beyond a milestone in Park’s career; it demonstrates how the DP’s scope can broaden within Korean production workflows. The project proves that an integrated DP system can function effectively on set, challenging traditional separations of cinematography and lighting.
A trained director himself, Park also writes screenplays. He is developing an independent film set along the cultural borderlands of Korea, North Korea, and Northeast Asia, aiming to translate his on-set experience and visual language into his own directorial work.
“This project’s real extreme conditions allowed the actors’ movements and breath to be captured authentically,” Park said. “By not separating cinematography and lighting, we focused on preserving the set’s atmosphere and emotional tone as naturally as possible. The harsh conditions were challenging, but they added a layer of realism to each scene.”
Park’s accolades include the 2024 Rookie Cinematographer Award at the 44th Golden Camera Awards, the 2025 Rising Film Artist Award at the Korea Arts & Culture Awards, and a Bronze Award for Cinematography at the 45th Golden Camera Awards.
