Best known outside of Korea for his 1967 monster film Yongary, Monster from the Deep, Kim Ki-duk directed 66 movies in total from his directorial debut in 1961 until his retirement from the film industry in 1977.
The most distinctive and successful genre of this period was the melodrama (Korean: 청춘영화; RR: cheongchun yeonghwa).
After graduating in 1956, Kim entered the film industry, first working as an editorial engineer.
He worked as assistant director to director Kim So-dong on the film, Prince Hodong and Princess Nakrang (Korean: 호동왕자와 낙랑공주; RR: Hodong wangjawa Nakrang gongju, 1956).
Other major films by Kim include Until Peonies Blossom (1962), Private Tutor (1963), Barefooted Youth (1964), Keep Silent When Leaving (1964), A Burning Youth (1966), Mother (1966) A Teacher in an Island (1967), A Female Student President (1967), Madam Anemone (1968), A Starry Night (1972), The Young Teacher (1972), A Flowery Bier (1974), and The Last Inning (1977).