
Directing
Zhang Lu
Born
1962-05-30 (64)
Place of birth
Yanbian, Jilin, China
Known for
Directing
Credits
40 titles
Zhang Lü (Chinese: 张律; pinyin: Zhāng Lǜ; Korean: 장률; born May 30, 1962; Yanbian, Jilin) is a Korean-Chinese filmmaker. Zhang was originally a novelist before embarking on a career in cinema. His arthouse films have mostly focused on the disenfranchised, particularly ethnic Koreans living in China; these include Grain in Ear (2006), Desert Dream (2007), Dooman River (2011), Scenery (2013), and Gyeongju (2014). Zhang Lü is a third-generation ethnic Korean born in Yanbian, Jilin, China in 1962. He first became known in his native land China as a respected author of novels and short stories, such as Cicada Chirping Afternoon (1986). Zhang moved to South Korea in 2012, and began teaching at Yons…
Known for
6.9They're losers, but nice ones. Every day they sit at Yeri's bar, smitten by the young Chinese-Korean woman. Yeri doesn't have a preference. To her, they are equally sweet: Jongbin, a milk-drinking epileptic, Ikjune, a former petty criminal, and the introverted Jungbum, who fled from North Korea.
A Quiet Dream
2016
6.5After a decade as a Beijing drifter, Fang Chunshu returns to Chengdu, grappling with urban alienation from her single mother, until a local youth helps her rediscover familial bonds through emerging cultural spaces and find renewed purpose amid the city's transformation.
Mothertongue
2025
7.3A Beijing professor returns to his stomping grounds for a friend's funeral. Reflecting on the past, he meets a tea shop owner who sparks feelings of love in a time of pain.
Gyeongju
2014
8.2Yoon-young fell for Song-hyeon when she was married to his friend. When she gets divorced, he takes her on a trip to Gunsan, where they stay at a guest house run by a middle-aged man and his autistic daughter.
Ode to the Goose
2018
6.9A bookseller from Seoul travels with a young woman to Fukuoka in Japan to meet a former friend from university. While their reunion is haunted by the conflicts of the past, his travel companion floats through the plot as if moving through a dream.
Fukuoka
2020
7.4People have varying perceptions and definitions of love and movies. One must overcome differing opinions and disregard insignificant factors in order to achieve the end product in each aspect. However, it is these trivial features that matter in the end and leave their imprint on our souls. Whether it is for love or for movies, we must continue to question and attend to the subtle inscriptions upon our emotions.
Love and...
2015
Behind the camera
6.9They're losers, but nice ones. Every day they sit at Yeri's bar, smitten by the young Chinese-Korean woman. Yeri doesn't have a preference. To her, they are equally sweet: Jongbin, a milk-drinking epileptic, Ikjune, a former petty criminal, and the introverted Jungbum, who fled from North Korea.
A Quiet Dream
2016
6.9They're losers, but nice ones. Every day they sit at Yeri's bar, smitten by the young Chinese-Korean woman. Yeri doesn't have a preference. To her, they are equally sweet: Jongbin, a milk-drinking epileptic, Ikjune, a former petty criminal, and the introverted Jungbum, who fled from North Korea.
A Quiet Dream
2016
6.5After a decade as a Beijing drifter, Fang Chunshu returns to Chengdu, grappling with urban alienation from her single mother, until a local youth helps her rediscover familial bonds through emerging cultural spaces and find renewed purpose amid the city's transformation.
Mothertongue
2025
6.5After a decade as a Beijing drifter, Fang Chunshu returns to Chengdu, grappling with urban alienation from her single mother, until a local youth helps her rediscover familial bonds through emerging cultural spaces and find renewed purpose amid the city's transformation.
Mothertongue
2025
7.3A Beijing professor returns to his stomping grounds for a friend's funeral. Reflecting on the past, he meets a tea shop owner who sparks feelings of love in a time of pain.
Gyeongju
2014
7.3A Beijing professor returns to his stomping grounds for a friend's funeral. Reflecting on the past, he meets a tea shop owner who sparks feelings of love in a time of pain.
Gyeongju
2014
7.3A Beijing professor returns to his stomping grounds for a friend's funeral. Reflecting on the past, he meets a tea shop owner who sparks feelings of love in a time of pain.
Gyeongju
2014
8.2Yoon-young fell for Song-hyeon when she was married to his friend. When she gets divorced, he takes her on a trip to Gunsan, where they stay at a guest house run by a middle-aged man and his autistic daughter.
Ode to the Goose
2018
8.2Yoon-young fell for Song-hyeon when she was married to his friend. When she gets divorced, he takes her on a trip to Gunsan, where they stay at a guest house run by a middle-aged man and his autistic daughter.
Ode to the Goose
2018
8.2Yoon-young fell for Song-hyeon when she was married to his friend. When she gets divorced, he takes her on a trip to Gunsan, where they stay at a guest house run by a middle-aged man and his autistic daughter.
Ode to the Goose
2018
6.9A bookseller from Seoul travels with a young woman to Fukuoka in Japan to meet a former friend from university. While their reunion is haunted by the conflicts of the past, his travel companion floats through the plot as if moving through a dream.
Fukuoka
2020
6.9A bookseller from Seoul travels with a young woman to Fukuoka in Japan to meet a former friend from university. While their reunion is haunted by the conflicts of the past, his travel companion floats through the plot as if moving through a dream.
Fukuoka
2020
6.9A bookseller from Seoul travels with a young woman to Fukuoka in Japan to meet a former friend from university. While their reunion is haunted by the conflicts of the past, his travel companion floats through the plot as if moving through a dream.
Fukuoka
2020
7.4People have varying perceptions and definitions of love and movies. One must overcome differing opinions and disregard insignificant factors in order to achieve the end product in each aspect. However, it is these trivial features that matter in the end and leave their imprint on our souls. Whether it is for love or for movies, we must continue to question and attend to the subtle inscriptions upon our emotions.
Love and...
2015
7.4People have varying perceptions and definitions of love and movies. One must overcome differing opinions and disregard insignificant factors in order to achieve the end product in each aspect. However, it is these trivial features that matter in the end and leave their imprint on our souls. Whether it is for love or for movies, we must continue to question and attend to the subtle inscriptions upon our emotions.
Love and...
2015
6.3After the film screening, five people hold a meeting. Director Jeong asserts that a film should move the heart. Actress Soo-yeon emphasizes on the message of the film, Film critic Tony just discusses about the current trend of Korean cinema. Tomiyama cannot fully express her thoughts because of the language barrier. And, the head of jury, Sung-ki can’t control the situation. Will this jury reach an agreement against all odds? A satire for those who make, watch, and criticize films is about to begin.
Jury
2013
4.4In China, Xuie lives an impoverished life with her father who is far from helpful. She is living in Chongqing. One day, her father gets arrested because of prostitution and she is called to the police. One policeman comes closer to her and her mind is taken by him.
Chongqing
2008
4.4In China, Xuie lives an impoverished life with her father who is far from helpful. She is living in Chongqing. One day, her father gets arrested because of prostitution and she is called to the police. One policeman comes closer to her and her mind is taken by him.
Chongqing
2008
6.7Gu Wentong learns the whereabouts of his father, who lost contact with him more than 40 years ago. Encouraged by new friend, photographer Ouyang Wenhui, Gu Wentong decides to face his father and rebuild the long-lost father-son relationship.
The Shadowless Tower
2023
6.7Gu Wentong learns the whereabouts of his father, who lost contact with him more than 40 years ago. Encouraged by new friend, photographer Ouyang Wenhui, Gu Wentong decides to face his father and rebuild the long-lost father-son relationship.
The Shadowless Tower
2023
6.7Gu Wentong learns the whereabouts of his father, who lost contact with him more than 40 years ago. Encouraged by new friend, photographer Ouyang Wenhui, Gu Wentong decides to face his father and rebuild the long-lost father-son relationship.
The Shadowless Tower
2023
6.8At a Japanese restaurant nestled within the busy streets of Beijing, Li Dong convinces his older brother Li Chun to travel together to the Japanese city of Yanagawa to find and catch up with their childhood sweetheart Liu Chuan.
Yanagawa
2022
6.8At a Japanese restaurant nestled within the busy streets of Beijing, Li Dong convinces his older brother Li Chun to travel together to the Japanese city of Yanagawa to find and catch up with their childhood sweetheart Liu Chuan.
Yanagawa
2022
5.130 years after the explosion at Iri station (Iksan, South Korea) the city has changed its name, rebuilt itself, but the people still carry the scars. Jin-seo is one of them. She is mentally impaired due to the explosion her mother experienced while giving birth to Jin-seo. She lives with her cab-driver brother, Tae-woong. The men in the town takes advantage of Jin-Seo's mental impairment and her mild manner nature. Tragedy soon strikes Jin-seo again...
Iri
2008
5.130 years after the explosion at Iri station (Iksan, South Korea) the city has changed its name, rebuilt itself, but the people still carry the scars. Jin-seo is one of them. She is mentally impaired due to the explosion her mother experienced while giving birth to Jin-seo. She lives with her cab-driver brother, Tae-woong. The men in the town takes advantage of Jin-Seo's mental impairment and her mild manner nature. Tragedy soon strikes Jin-seo again...
Iri
2008
6.3A father takes his son to observe an empty field, and then to visit a neighbour, who is soon visited by other reticent characters, including a man who is a little violent, and another next-door neighbour who has fallen ill.
Routine Holiday
2008
6.4Chang-ho, 12, becomes friends with a North-Korean immigrant about the same age who just crossed the Dooman river, border between North-Korea and China. His mute sister and his wise grandfather accompany him through a series of misfortunes.
Dooman River
2010
6.4Chang-ho, 12, becomes friends with a North-Korean immigrant about the same age who just crossed the Dooman river, border between North-Korea and China. His mute sister and his wise grandfather accompany him through a series of misfortunes.
Dooman River
2010
6.7An ordinary village in Northern China, the last day of the winter vacation. Four idle, aimless adolescents gather at Zhou Zhixin's home, a friend who lives with his father, brother and nephew. Like most contemporary teenagers, these youths want to enjoy their last day of holiday and simply hang out in this place where nothing ever seems likely to happen. Their conversations are desultory and they sometimes seem to argue for argument's sake. One of them, Laowu, talks frankly with his girlfriend about how teenage love might affect their studies, while Laobao questions school's value and relevance to real life.
Winter Vacation
2011
7.1Cui, a young Korean mother living on the outskirts of Chinese society, has a husband in jail and a son to support. She barely makes a living selling kimchi to workers along the side of a bleak, industrial road. A love affair with a fellow Chinese-Korean leads to tragic consequences as Cui struggles against the vulnerability of her position.
Grain in Ear
2005
7.1Cui, a young Korean mother living on the outskirts of Chinese society, has a husband in jail and a son to support. She barely makes a living selling kimchi to workers along the side of a bleak, industrial road. A love affair with a fellow Chinese-Korean leads to tragic consequences as Cui struggles against the vulnerability of her position.
Grain in Ear
2005
NRA couple who have lived under the same roof for years without speaking a word, as if practicing a silent meditation. Marina, who came to Sawai Island in search of a legendary love story, and another foreigner, a young man with the same name as the legendary protagonist. The landscape of foreigners living difficult lives in Guro-dong, Garibong-dong, Sillim-dong, and Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Director Kobayashi Masahiro, beloved by Cannes, Edwin, the future of Indonesian cinema, and cineaste Jang Ryul unfold a story of "people who feel alone even when together."
Strangers
2013
4.0The film is director Gao Zipeng’s first fiction film which takes three years to complete. It premieres on March 27, 2001 in UCCA and stars the poet A Jian, Xiao Zhao and the writer Gou Zi. The film is based on a true crime of disappearance. It creates an atmosphere of what Ma Zhiyuan, a celebrated poet and playwright of Yuan Dynasty, portrays in his famous poem “Autumn Thoughts”: Over old trees wreathed with rotten vines fly evening crows/ Under a small bridge near a cottage a stream flows/ On ancient road in the west wind a lean horse goes/ Westward declines the sun/ Far, far from home is the heartbroken one.
Lost in the Mountain
2011
4.0In a vast desert area somewhere at the border between Mongolia and China, Hungai lives together with his wife and child. Dutifully, Hungai plants little trees in the desert. After his wife embarks on a long trip to a hospital in the capital Ulaanbaatar to have their sick son examined, Hungai starts to drink out of loneliness. One day, a North Korean fugitive and her son ask for shelter in his home.
Desert Dream
2007
4.0In a vast desert area somewhere at the border between Mongolia and China, Hungai lives together with his wife and child. Dutifully, Hungai plants little trees in the desert. After his wife embarks on a long trip to a hospital in the capital Ulaanbaatar to have their sick son examined, Hungai starts to drink out of loneliness. One day, a North Korean fugitive and her son ask for shelter in his home.
Desert Dream
2007
5.5While preparing to shut down the photo studio business that he has been running, a man hears that someone named Chulsu has died.
Usu
2022
6.5Eleven, which played at the 2001 Venice Film Festival, is the first short film of director Zhang Lu. He is a forty-year-old writer whose works engage with issues of cultural difference stemming from his own background as a member of the Korean cultural minority in China. Eleven is a fourteen-minute long vignette, virtually silent, of an eleven-year-old boy's encounter with a group of soccer players his own age.
Eleven
2000
NRXiao Bai receiving a postcard from a small town in the southwest. It was sent by her boyfriend who left without saying goodbye three years ago. After much hesitation, she decided to go to the town to find out what happened.
Gloaming in Luomu
2025
NRXiao Bai receiving a postcard from a small town in the southwest. It was sent by her boyfriend who left without saying goodbye three years ago. After much hesitation, she decided to go to the town to find out what happened.
Gloaming in Luomu
2025
4.8On the day he was supposed to graduate from elementary school, a precocious boy runs away from home and goes with his best friend on a journey to his friend’s faraway home. He encounters diverse, interesting people and discovers that “precocious” isn’t what he had once believed.
Don't Expect Praises
2012
