Renowned Korean Screenwriter Song Gil-han Passes Away at 84

Song Gil-han, a legendary figure in the Korean film industry known for his screenplays for films such as 만다라 (Mandala) and 씨받이 (The Surrogate Woman), has passed away at the age of 84. According to his family, he succumbed to stomach cancer on December 22 at 4:56 PM.

Born on July 30, 1940, in Jeonju, Song attended Jeonju Buk Middle School and Jeonju High School before enrolling in the Law Department at Seoul National University. He began his writing career after winning the Dong-A Ilbo New Year’s Literary Contest in 1970 with his screenplay 흑조 (Black Swan).

Throughout his career, Song contributed to a variety of genres in the film industry, including melodramas like 마지막 날의 언약 (The Covenant of the Last Day, 1974) and 과거는 왜 물어 (Why Ask About the Past, 1976), as well as high school films such as 여고 얄개 (High School Scandal, 1977) and 우리들의 고교 시대 (Our High School Days, 1978), and anti-communist films like 도솔산 최후의 날 (The Last Day of Dosolsan, 1977).

He collaborated extensively with director Im Kwon-taek, producing several notable works including the award-winning 짝코 (Jjakko, 1980) and 만다라 (Mandala, 1981), as well as 우상의 눈물 (Tears of a Goddess, 1981) and 길소뜸 (Gilsodeum, 1985), which earned him the Best Screenplay award at the Baeksang Arts Awards. His screenplay for 씨받이 (The Surrogate Woman, 1986) won actress Kang Soo-yeon the Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival, marking a significant milestone in Korean cinema. He also worked on the award-winning 티켓 (Ticket, 1986).

Over a career spanning more than 40 years, Song's contributions to cinema included projects with director Lee Jang-ho, such as 명자 아끼꼬 쏘냐 (Myungja, 1992), and continued with Im Kwon-taek's 달빛 길어올리기 (Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, 2010). In 1998, he was recognized as the only screenwriter selected in the '50 Years of Korean Cinema: 50 Notable Filmmakers' list, highlighting his sharp insights into humanity and society that left a lasting impact on Korean film history.

In addition to his screenwriting, Song taught at the Korea National University of Arts and served as the vice-chairman of the Jeonju International Film Festival organizing committee, remaining an influential figure in the Korean film community.

His brother, Song Neung-han, directed the film 넘버3 (Number 3), and his niece, Celine Song, directed the Academy Award-nominated film 패스트 라이브즈 (Past Lives).

The funeral will be held at the Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital in Seoul, with the burial scheduled for December 25.