There’s something really distinct about Chung-hoon Chung and the way he builds atmosphere through visuals. His work feels very controlled but never stiff, with a strong focus on composition, movement, and color that pulls you into the world without overwhelming you. He has a way of making every frame feel deliberate, whether it’s through smooth camera movement or carefully layered blocking within a scene. What stands out is how he balances elegance with intensity. His images can feel beautiful and refined, but there’s often something unsettling just beneath the surface.
In The Handmaiden, that balance is on full display. The film is filled with intricate compositions, soft natural lighting, and fluid camera moves that mirror the story’s shifting perspectives and tension. Then in Last Night in Soho, he leans more into stylization, using bold lighting, reflections, and transitions to blur reality and illusion. The use of mirrors and color in particular creates this hypnotic feeling that matches the psychological tone of the film. Even though the two films look very different, they both show how intentional and immersive his work is, which is what makes him stand out so much.
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