We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joeun Jang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Joeun, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

I’ve always been the kind of kid who wanted to do many things. Sports, studying, art, I can honestly say I’ve tried almost everything. One day during class in middle school, my teacher played a movie, and I suddenly thought, I want to learn filmmaking. It was a very simple thought. I don’t like to overthink things because that only brings stress.

At one point, I got really into a British actor and decided to learn acting, so I signed up for an acting academy. Then I watched Toy Story and got completely obsessed with it, so I started learning 3D animation. I was sure that I loved movies and wanted to keep doing something related to them, but I didn’t know what job I would have in the future. So I just learned everything I could, just in case.

I was never afraid of trying new things. Maybe some of them weren’t meant to be my path, but I wouldn’t know unless I tried. That’s why I always challenged myself. There’s no rule saying you can only have one dream.

Now I study film and make movies. I love actors, and I love cinema. There are so many films I adore. I’m always passionate and fearless when it comes to the things I love. When I was sixteen, I even stayed overnight at a red carpet event just to see my favorite actors. That’s how passionate I am about the things I love.

Being able to turn what I love into a career is such a great privilege. It’s something I could never trade for anything. One of my film teachers once wrote me a recommendation letter and told me, “People who love film as much as you do are the ones who last in this industry.” I hope he’s right. Making short films can be tough at times, but because I truly love what I do, I always find the strength to keep moving forward.

Joeun, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a passionate filmmaker who’s always eager to take on new challenges.
I haven’t decided on a specific role I want to focus on within the film industry yet, but I love exploring and experiencing different parts of the creative process. Recently, I’ve been focusing on production design, where I enjoy exploring how space, color, texture, and objects can capture a character’s emotions and the atmosphere of a story. When every small detail in a scene emotionally resonates with the audience, that’s when I feel the greatest sense of fulfillment.

There’s a project I recently poured more of myself into than any other.
For that film, I had to turn an ordinary American house into a space that felt like a Korean Christian grandmother’s home. It was one of the most demanding projects I’ve ever worked on. Every corner needed thought and every detail had to serve a purpose.
I kept wondering what kind of objects would feel right in that space, what kind of food the main character would make, and how she would move through the house. I had to become her in order to make her world feel real.
That experience became one of the most defining moments in my growth as a filmmaker.
It taught me that production design isn’t just a backdrop but an art form that can deeply capture a character’s life and emotions.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I started something called the “One-Month Challenge” a few years ago to keep my creativity alive, and I’ve been doing it ever since. Every month I create an artwork inspired by a film, drama, or song that stays with me. Sometimes it becomes a graphic design poster, sometimes a short animation, and other times I capture the idea through photography.
It began as a small promise to myself, to keep creating no matter what. Over time, it turned into a personal archive of my growth. Each project reminds me how much I’ve learned and how far I’ve come just by staying curious and consistent.
I always want to keep growing. I can be strict with myself, but I think that’s what keeps me moving forward.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding moments come when my work truly connects with someone on an emotional level. When I see an actor draw deeper emotion from a prop I designed, or when I notice the audience responding to the atmosphere I helped create, it reminds me why I love what I do. I remember one scene where the actor became completely immersed because of an object I had made, and I found myself tearing up without even realizing it. That moment has stayed with me ever since. Another deeply meaningful moment is when I share my work with my parents. They’ve always believed in me and supported my passion, so showing them how much I’ve grown feels like the most heartfelt reward.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @joeun.claire / @jje_portfolio

Image Credits

Photo taken by the door/ Photo fixing the actor’s hair — Danilo Hernandez (@dhcinephoto)
Photo holding the boom mic — Youil Kim (@youilonlykim)