May 6, 2024

5 of the Best Asian Directors and the Films They’ve Led

Plenty of amazing films like My Neighbour Totoro (1988) and Parasite (2019) have come from the brilliant minds of directors from Asia. By: Kritchanon Tan Kian Wei

From anime to K-dramas, the rising popularity of Asian media has really shined a spotlight on the cultures of Asia. Read on to find out 5 of the best Asian directors, as well as their filmography!

5. Jack Neo

Whilst his films aren’t exactly cinematic masterpieces, Neo has directed numerous Singaporean classics that many have grown up with, including franchises like Ah Boys to Men (2012-2019), Money No Enough (1988-2024) and I Not Stupid (2002-2024). Whether you laugh at or laugh with his movies, you can’t deny the 64-year-old’s lasting impact on the Singaporean film industry, earning him a place on this list.

4. Chloé Zhao

Chinese-born filmmaker 41-year-old Chloé Zhao is an extremely talented director, having directed films like Marvel Studios’ Eternals (2021) and the Oscar-winning film Nomadland (2020), with the latter helping her gain international recognition, making her one of Asia’s best directors. Zhao has also directed the films Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) and The Rider (2017).

3. Bong Joon-ho

Best known for directing the Oscar-winning 2019 South Korean dark comedy thriller Parasite, Bong has also directed films like Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000), Memories of Murder (2003), The Host (2006) and Snowpiercer (2013). The 54-year-old is certainly one of Korea’s top directors, with Parasite being a beloved title which has since become the highest-grossing South Korean film in history.

2. James Wan

Born in Sarawak and later moving to Perth, the 47-year-old Malaysian-Australian filmmaker James Wan is one of the best horror directors of all time, who also happened to have worked on the billion-dollar hit Aquaman (2018) and its 2023 sequel. The well-known horror director has directed several horror fan-favourites, like Saw (2004), Insidious (2010), The Conjuring (2013) and Malignant (2021), making him one of the most mainstream Asian directors.

1. Hayao Miyazaki

Finally, whilst not the most mainstream Asian director, Miyazaki has directed countless classic Studio Ghibli anime films, including My Neighbour Totoro (1988), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), Spirited Away (2001), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and most recently, the Oscar-winning The Boy and the Heron (2023). His contributions to the world of anime, helping the genre achieve mainstream success, will most certainly help the 83-year-old go down as one of the best Asian directors of all time.

In addition to creating so many beloved classics and new favourites, Asian directors have also shown us that, no matter who we are and where we come from, everyone has a story they can tell, and that just because something has been overlooked in the past, doesn’t mean we can’t make our voices heard and enact change.

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