South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-Duk, known for films like Pieta, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring, The Isle, and 3-Iron, died of coronavirus complications in Latvia on Friday. He was 59. Reports state that the director reached Latvia last month to buy a house there as he was seeking permanent residence.

Kim Ki-Duk's films have fetched him awards at international film festivals including Cannes (Arirang), Venice Film Festival (Pieta, 3-Iron), and Berlin International Film Festival (Samaritan Girl). His films are known for their raw depiction of the human condition. Furthermore, they are notable for having taciturn, problematic protagonists at their centre, and have often been the subject of debates over depiction of extreme violence.

Despite tasting only moderate commercial success in his country, the director's films have garnered a huge following around the world including in India. The filmmaker, who has a huge fanbase in Kerala, visited the International Film Festival of Kerala as its chief guest in 2013.