After major in film studies at Seoul Institute of the Arts, KIM went to study in Japan in 1980. After studies at Japan Institute of the Moving Image, major in film directing, he worked since 1986 as a coordinate producer for film, TV and commercials in Japan, Australia and Hong Kong. He was selected as the 1st Berlinale Talents at the 53rd Berlin International Film Festival for his short film 32nd DEC: Where is Mr. President?(2003). His first feature film Driving With My Wife's Lover(2007) was invited to over 30 international film festivals, including Sundance, Rotterdam IFF and the
film won nine awards . A Korean Japanese co-production film Tokyo Taxi (2010) is his second feature. KIM had continued to expand his creative scope through his films Red Vacance Black Wedding(2011) and Heartbreak Hotel(2015). Recently, he directed the Filipino Korean co-production film Sunshine Family(2019).