north-south korean relations

His films like 'Joint Security Area' and 'The Handmaiden' explore the psychological and political complexities of Korean division and identity.

His works such as 'Burning' and 'Poetry' subtly examine the ideological tensions and historical trauma embedded in Korean society stemming from division.

His minimalist films frequently probe the existential alienation and moral ambiguities that reflect the deeper wounds of national partition in contemporary Korean life.