IM Kwon-taek is a living witness of the history of Korean cinema, and his name is symbolic of the Korean cinema itself. After making his debut in 1962, IM insisted on walking the path of film and made all the effort to capture the life and art of Koreans on the screen. His passion and endeavors were rewarded with awards from prominent international film festivals, such as Cannes and Berlin international film festivals. Through these achievements, IM was able to let the world know of the Korean cinema and elevated the status of Korea in the global film industry.

Director IM Kwon-taek’s world of cinema is often boiled down to the “cinematization of Korean traditional aesthetics.” However, this phrase oversimplifies Director IM’s world of cinema portrayed in all of his 101 films. His films are exuberant and elegant like traditional Korean pansori on the one hand, but rough and simple like earthenware on the other. IM’s perspective, as he creates such worlds in his films, is mercilessly heartless, yet contains the warmth of one who understands and embraces the limitations of humans.

Im Kwon Taek Film Museum of Dongseo University presents IM’s life and career in film under the keywords “Wandering Life” by examining IM’s diverse and complex world of cinema as a journey of change through endless experiments and challenges.