After completing his military service, Yang Ik-june enrolled in an acting course at the College of Arts and Communication in Kongju. He then starred in thirty short films and ten films, including Jo Geun-sik's "Conduct Zero" (2002) and Song Hae-sung's "Maundy Thursday" (2006). His first short film as a director, "Always Behind You" (2005) was awarded at the Seoul Independent Film Festival. With his first feature film, "Breathless" (2008) he won the Tiger Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in 2009.
