Cinematographer Min-woo Park, KSC, has wrapped up his 15th project as DP on the film Band of Gods, overseeing both camera work and lighting to create a consistent visual direction and on-set tone.
Band of Gods is directed by Hyung-hyeop Kim, produced by Studio Target, distributed by CJ, and set to screen at CGV. Starring Park Si-hoo and former 2AM member Jeong Jin-woon, the comedy uses a North Korean setting to explore human irony and emotional nuance—an intriguing blend of commercial appeal and subject matter that attracted industry attention even before its release.
Since 2008, Park studied and worked in New York, majoring in directing at Pratt Institute while honing his craft. Based on the American DP system, he’s served as cinematographer on 15 films, directed two features, and worked as an editor on three. His experience across cinematography, directing, and editing informs a practice that balances technical prowess with narrative structure and rhythm. Returning to Korea at the end of 2019, he has continued working steadily in film and drama, including the 2023 KBS series Oasis.
Principal photography for Band of Gods took place in the winter of 2024 on location in Mongolia, where outdoor shoots plunged to –40 °C and indoor shoots ranged from –15 °C to –20 °C. Despite equipment icing over and crew fatigue, filming in real extreme cold captured actors’ movements and breath authentically, letting the harsh environment itself become part of the mise-en-scène and heightening the film’s sense of realism.
Park defines a cinematographer’s role not merely as camera operator but as the guardian of lighting and overall visual tone. By integrating cinematography and lighting design, he streamlines collaboration with the directing and art departments and directly mirrors each scene’s emotional arc and narrative flow on screen. While influenced by the American DP model, this integrated approach remains a transitional paradigm in Korean filmmaking.
In this light, Band of Gods serves not only as a milestone in Park’s filmography but also as a case study in expanding the cinematographer’s scope within Korea’s production environment, demonstrating that an integrated DP model can function effectively on set.
Also trained as a director, Park continues to write screenplays, envisioning independent films set against the cultural and geographical borderlands of Korea, North Korea, and Northeast Asia. Observers are keen to see how his accumulated on-set experience and visual language will shape his future directorial work.
“Because we shot in actual extreme cold, the actors’ movements and breath were captured exactly as they happened,” Park notes. “By operating camera and lighting as one, we focused on preserving the natural mood and emotional flow of the set. Though conditions were harsh, I believe the scenes reflect the reality of the environment.”
Park’s accolades include the New Cinematographer Award at the 44th Golden Camera Awards (2024), the Rookie Award in the filmmaking category of the 2025 Korea Arts & Culture Awards, and the Bronze Cinematography Award at the 45th Golden Camera Awards (2025).