---
name: "Sang-il Lee"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sang-il-lee"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "6 January 1974"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
updated: "2026-09-17T04:14:19.500825+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sang-il Lee

Director. Born 6 January 1974 in Niigata, Japan.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 6 January 1974, Niigata, Japan
- **Also known as:** リ・サンイル, Lee Sang-Il, Sang-Il Lee

## Biography

Sang-il Lee is a Japanese film director and screenwriter of Zainichi Korean descent. Born on 6 January 1974 in Niigata and raised in Yokohama, he graduated from the Japan Institute of the Moving Image. His debut short film, *Chong* (also known as *Blue – Chong*, 1999), explored the lives of third-generation Zainichi Koreans.

Lee is known for directing and co-writing *Hula Girls* (2006), *Villain* (2010), *Unforgiven* (2013), *Rage* (2016) and *Kokuho* (2025). He has also directed episodes of the Apple TV+ series *Pachinko* (2022–2024) and served as an executive producer on the series. His work frequently adapts novels and examines social themes.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Pachinko* (2022), Fi1m 85, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/pachinko.md)

## Also known for

- *Kokuho* (2025), Director
- *Rage* (2016), Director, Screenplay
- *Unforgiven* (2013), Screenplay, Director
- *Hula Girls* (2006), Director, Screenplay
- *Villain* (2010), Director, Screenplay

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sang-il-lee