★ HOW OLD IS LEE SANG-IL?
Lee Sang-il is 52 years old, born January 6, 1974 in Japan · Capricorn.
#4993of 9,291 Writers on HotBirthdays
★ LEDE
About
Lee Sang-il directed Japan's highest-grossing live-action film, *Kokuho* (2025), a Kabuki-actor drama that grossed over ¥17.37 billion. Born January 6, 1974, in Niigata, this third-generation Zainichi Korean filmmaker explores human conflict and moral ambiguity through adaptations and original work. He has won Best Picture and Best Director twice at the Japan Academy Film Prize. A Capricorn by zodiac [F1, enrichments].
★ FEATURE
Biography
Lee Sang-il is a Japanese filmmaker and screenwriter born January 6, 1974, in Niigata. A third-generation Zainichi Korean, he entered cinema through his 1999 graduation project *Chong*, which premiered at the Pia Film Festival and won the Grand Prix. His breakout came with *Hula Girls* (2006), a film about coal miners' daughters reviving a declining town through dance; it won Best Picture and Best Director at the Japan Academy Film Prize. Lee's signature style explores moral complexity and societal fractures. His adaptations of novelist Shuichi Yoshida's work—*Villain* (2010) and *Rage* (2016)—both earned nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, plus acting awards. *Wandering* (2022) examined a controversial relationship between a kidnapping survivor and her abductor. His tenth film, *Kokuho* (2025), depicting rival Kabuki actors, became the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film in history with ¥17.37 billion in box office revenue and the 11th highest domestic gross of all time. As a screenwriter and director, Lee channels the visual and narrative traditions of Japanese cinema while probing dark psychological terrain. Born under Capricorn, his work reflects the sign's introspective intensity and structural discipline [F1, enrichments]. A Life Path 1 figure, he pioneers unconventional narratives in mainstream Japanese film [enrichments].
★ ORIGIN
Before Fame
Lee Sang-il grew up in Niigata as a third-generation Zainichi Korean, a background that shaped his early creative vision. He attended the Japan Institute of the Moving Image, where his graduation project *Chong* (1999) drew on his connection to North Korean-affiliated education—mirroring his own heritage. The film's success at the Pia Film Festival Award 2000, including the Grand Prix, launched his career as a filmmaker.
★ SIDEBAR
Trivia
- *Chong* (1999), Lee's debut, featured a protagonist attending a North Korean-affiliated high school, directly reflecting the director's own Zainichi Korean background and upbringing in Niigata.
- *Kokuho* (2025) broke Japanese cinema records, becoming the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film ever and achieving the 11th highest domestic box office total across all film types.
- Lee has won the Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Picture and Best Director twice each, with multiple additional nominations for films exploring moral ambiguity and human conflict.
★ SIDEBAR
Numerology
LIFE-PATH NUMBER
The Leader
Independent, ambitious, and self-reliant. Lee Sang-il tend to step into pioneer roles early and prefer setting direction over following it.
★ ALL LIFE-PATH 1 CELEBS →★ ASTROLOGY
Birthday compatibility
By Chinese zodiac — san-he trine for best matches, opposing pair for the most friction-prone.
HIGHLY COMPATIBLE
- Alexander GouldDog · 1994
- Jean-Carl BoucherDog · 1994
- Connor JessupDog · 1994
- Mayuko FukudaDog · 1994
- Abbey HoesDog · 1994
CHALLENGING
- IsaacMonkey · 2004
- Robbie Ure
★ FAQ
Frequently asked
- How old is Lee Sang-il?
- Lee Sang-il is 52 years old (born January 6, 1974).
- When is Lee Sang-il's birthday?
- Lee Sang-il was born on January 6, 1974.
- What is Lee Sang-il's zodiac sign?
- Lee Sang-il is a Capricorn, born January 6, 1974.
- What is Lee Sang-il's Chinese zodiac sign?
- Lee Sang-il was born in 1974, the year of the Wood Tiger.
- Where is Lee Sang-il from?
- Lee Sang-il is from Japan.
- What does Lee Sang-il do?
- Lee Sang-il is a writer.
- Is Lee Sang-il still alive?
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