Yi Sang-woo

Quick Facts: Who was Yi Sang-woo?

Subject:

Yi Sang-woo

Known for:

South Korean director, screenwriter, and actor known for pioneering theater troupes.

Born:

1951-01-01

Century / Era:

1951s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Yi Sang-woo (Korean: 이상우; born 10 October 1951) is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, and actor. He earned his degree in the Department of Aesthetics at Seoul National University. In 1977, he played a key role in establishing the Yeonwoo Stage theater company and founded the Chaimu Theater Company in 1995. He served as CEO of Chaimu until 2002, when he was succeeded by Min Bok-ki. Yi is also an associate professor in the Directing Department at the Korea National University of Arts, where he previously served as director until his retirement in 2018.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Since 1978, Yi has directed a wide range of plays, including The Sculptor and the Detective, Unification Express, The Tale of a Thief, Pig Hunt, No Words, The Tale of Tail Cotton, Mae of Cape Jangsan, Chilsu and Mansu and Balsam Flower Water. He also worked on adaptations such as Changes, Korea Fantasy and There, as well as directed translations of plays like The Pitmen Painters, Almost, Maine, Love, Love, Love and The Cosmonaut's Last Message to the Woman He Once Loved in the Former Soviet Union. In addition to his theater work, he has written screenplays and directed films, including A Little Pond. In 1977, three alumni of the Seoul National University theater club, Yi (class of '70), Jung Han-ryong (class of '64) and Kim Kwang-rim (class of '71), worked together at the same company, OriCom after graduation. They decided to establish a theater company together and named it "Yeonwoo" (演友), which signifies "friends who love theater".

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The parents of the four founders were from Hamgyeong Province. Later, dental surgeon Oh Jong-woo, Lee Young-hoon, the director of the Gyeongju National Museum and Cho Woo-hyun, a professor at Inha University, joined the group. They were also alumni of the Seoul National University theater club. In 1978, he made his directorial debut with the play The Sculptor and the Detective. He has directed a wide range of plays, including The Tale of a Thief, Mae of Cape Jangsan, Chilsu and Mansu and Balsam Flower Water.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1951 (1951-01-01): Birth of Yi Sang-woo — South Korean director, screenwriter, and actor known for pioneering theater troupes.
2. 1977: 1977 Milestone — In 1977, he played a key role in establishing the Yeonwoo Stage theater company and founded the Chaimu Theater Company in 1995.
3. 1978: 1978 Milestone — Since 1978, Yi has directed a wide range of plays, including The Sculptor and the Detective, Unification Express, The Tale of a Thief, Pig Hunt, No Words, The Tale of Tail Cotton, Mae of Cape Jangsan, Chilsu and Mansu and Balsam Flower Water.
4. 2002: 2002 Milestone — He served as CEO of Chaimu until 2002, when he was succeeded by Min Bok-ki.
5. 2018: 2018 Milestone — Yi is also an associate professor in the Directing Department at the Korea National University of Arts, where he previously served as director until his retirement in 2018.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Yi Sang-woo

True or False: “Yi Sang-woo's directorial debut was with the play The Sculptor and the Detective in 1978.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The provided text confirms that he made his directorial debut with this specific play in 1978.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Yi Sang-woo