Award-winning director and cinematographer Yong Duk Jhun joins the Production Division as a full time Visiting Professor. His visionary approach to virtual production, visual storytelling and mentorship will be key in the School's education in Virtual Production.

Yong Duk Jhun Yong Duk Jhun is an award-winning director and cinematographer whose visual storytelling has helped define some of the most celebrated feature films of the past two decades. His Head of Cinematography credits include the Oscar-nominated Kung Fu Panda, the groundbreaking Shrek, the Oscar-nominated The Croods, as well as Trolls and Vivo. Most recently, he directed The Tiger’s Apprentice (2024) and led the cinematography for The Smurfs Movie (releasing July 2025), collaborating with major studios such as DreamWorks, Sony Pictures Animation, Blue Sky Studios, and Paramount Pictures.

In addition to his major credits, Jhun has also contributed his time on films such as Over the Hedge, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Kung Fu Panda 3, and served as a visual consultant on the Oscar-nominated Ferdinand and Spies in Disguise. He is currently developing several original series and feature projects with major studios, continuing to explore new frontiers in cinematic storytelling.

Born and raised in South Korea, Jhun earned his BFA from the University of Seoul before moving to the United States in 1997 to pursue his dream of becoming a storyteller. He received his MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York, launching a career that would span continents and reshape the visual language of feature film.

Known for his ability to merge emotional clarity with sophisticated cinematography and dynamic visual language, Jhun has become a sought-after voice in the evolving landscape of digital cinema and virtual production.

Alongside his creative work, he is a passionate mentor, having guided emerging filmmakers through masterclasses and teaching roles at USC, SCAD, and CalArts. As a member of the Academy’s Executive Committee for Feature Animation and Short Film Branch, Jhun continues to help shape both the future of the industry and the next generation of global visual storytellers.