Leesong Hee-il

Leesong Hee‑il is a South Korean film director and one of the most important queer auteurs in Korean cinema, widely recognized as openly gay and the creator of No Regret (2006), regarded as “the first real Korean gay feature” . Born in 1971, he emerged from Korea’s independent film scene, making shorts throughout the late 1990s before becoming a central figure in LGBTQ+ filmmaking. His work — including No Regret, White Night (2012), Going South (2012), Suddenly, Last Summer (2012), Night Flight (2014), and Swallow (2022) — explores queer desire, class divides, loneliness, and the social pressures facing gay men in Korea. Leesong has also been a gay rights activist, frequently speaking on social issues and pushing boundaries in a conservative media landscape . His films have screened at major festivals such as Berlinale, Raindance, and Outfest, establishing him as a foundational figure in modern queer Asian cinema.