Kogonada posted his first
video essay in January 2012. Using clips from the American television series
Breaking Bad, the video displays the series' use of numerous
point-of-view shots from unusual angles and objects. Kogonada was inspired to create the video essay while he watched the series, noticing a recurring visual aesthetic used throughout the series. In February 2013, he was commissioned by the
British Film Institute to create a video essay on the films of
Hirokazu Kore-eda for their publication
Sight & Sound. He subsequently did additional commissioned work for
Sight & Sound Samsung, and the
Lincoln Motor Company. In March 2016, Kogonada was part of the official jury for the 16th
LPA Film Festival at the
Canary Islands, Spain, where he taught a master class and had screenings for 14 of his video essays at the "Bande à part" section. His feature directorial debut was
Columbus (2017), which premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival before receiving a limited theatrical release by the
Sundance Institute on August 11, 2017. He also wrote and edited the film. Kogonada next wrote, edited, and directed the science fiction film
After Yang (2021), which had its world premiere at the
Cannes Film Festival and its North American premiere at the
Sundance Film Festival, where it won the
Alfred P. Sloan Prize. The film was favorably received by critics and in 2024 was named the 9th best science fiction film of the 21st century by
IndieWire. In 2022, Kogonada directed four episodes of the first season of
Pachinko, which garnered several accolades, including a
Peabody Award and a
Critics' Choice Award. He continued his television work by directing two episodes of the
Star Wars television series
The Acolyte (2024). He has also been tapped to direct a limited series about
Vincent Chin, with
Chloé Zhao executive producing. Kogonada directed the romantic fantasy film
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025) from a screenplay by Seth Reiss. The film, released in the United States September 19, 2025, stars
Margot Robbie and
Colin Farrell. In September 2025, Kogonada served as a member of the Competition Jury at the
30th Busan International Film Festival. ==Technique==