Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Son Sook
South Korean actress (born 1944) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Son Sook (Korean: 손숙; born May 13, 1944) is a South Korean actress and former politician. In her first year at Korea University, she made her debut as the protagonist in the play Samgakmoja, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the school's founding. In 1969, she became a founding member of the theater group Sanwoollim, and in 1971, she joined the National Theater, working with renowned directors of the time such as Lee Hae-rang.
_ribbon.PNG){kind=small}
Starting with MBC's "Women's Era" in 1989, she has been hosting radio broadcasts for over 20 years. In 1999, she was the co-representative of the Environmental Movement Union and later became the Minister of Environment. In addition, she has been involved in volunteer activities in various social organizations, including as co-representative of "Beautiful Store" in 2002.
She has received the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Theater Actress three times for her performances in "Volcano" (1975), "Guest" (1979), and "Mother" (1999). She has also received awards such as the Korea Theater Festival Best Actress Award (1986), Lee Hae-rang Theater Award (1997), and the Eungwan Cultural Medal (2012). Her published works include "Living Together, Crying and Laughing," "People Son Sook Met," "Women's Notebook," and "The Island Village Boy, Former President Kim Dae-jung."
Remove ads
Early life and education
Summarize
Perspective
Son was born in Dajuk-ri Jukseo Village, Sanoe-myeon, Miryang-gun (currently Jukseo Village, Dajuk-ri, Sanoe-myeon, Milyang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do).[1] In the year she entered elementary school in Miryang, the Korean War began. Her school was turned into an army hospital, so she and her classmates were sent home. They only had an opening ceremony at the main school and had to keep moving to study. She remembers learning outside, studying with makeshift chalkboards on pine trees by the riverside or on stones in fields. During winter, lessons took place in a borrowed storage room. American military trucks brought milk powder and school supplies, which was a great joy during the war. She sees her childhood in the countryside as a blessing, even though they faced cold and hunger. Seeing war refugees also showed her the harsh realities of war.[2]
She attended middle school in Busan. After six months at Busan Girls' Middle School, her mother, who had a strong passion for education, impulsively brought her and her younger sibling to Seoul. Son's mother had married at 16, but her husband (Son's father) had left for Japan to study, leaving her to manage the household alone. Upon their arrival in Seoul, the Son family resided in Donam-dong, where they initially found it challenging to adapt to being perceived as rural children.[2]
During her years in Pungmoon Girls' High School, she began to dream of becoming a writer. She won several writing competitions and organized "Night of Literature" events with students from nearby high schools, including Hwang Seok-young and Jo Hae-il. She immersed herself in the works of French poets like Baudelaire and Paul Valéry. Discussing the works of famous domestic and international poets at a music hall in Jongno 2-ga was more enjoyable than formal study. Her passion for writing was evident in her multiple attempts to participate in the annual "New Spring Literary" competition hosted by a newspaper company.[2] During her final year of high school, Son had a transformative experience watching Eugene O'Neill's play Long Day's Journey Into Night at Namsan Drama Center in Seoul. Directed by Teacher Haehyang and featuring renowned actors of that era like Hwang Jung-soon, Jang Min-ho, and Yeo Woon-gye, the performance deeply captivated her. This experience impacted her life's trajectory.[3]
In May 1963, while pursuing a History major at Korea University, Son's aspirations came true when she was selected to play the lead female role in the 60th anniversary commemorative play The Three-Cornered Hat by Spanish playwright Alarcón y Ariza. The male lead was portrayed by Kim Sung-ok, who was not only her senior in the university's drama club but also went on to become the artistic director of the Mokpo Municipal Theater. Their shared passion for the arts blossomed into a romantic relationship, and they tied the knot two years later.[2][4]
Remove ads
Career
Summarize
Perspective
Career in Dongin Theater, Sanullim Theater and National Theater
In 1968, she joined the theater group Dongin Theater and started her career as a professional actress, taking on the role of Electra in Eugene O'Neill's play Mourning Becomes Electra.[5] She formed a lasting relationship with director Lim Young-woong, whom she regarded as a lifelong mentor, during her time at the Sanullim Theater, which was founded in 1969.[2]
Furthermore, two years later, she joined the National Theater Company and encountered Director Haehyang Sunsaeng, which brought new vitality to her life.[2] Reflecting on her theatrical journey, she said,
"I dedicated my youth to Sanullim and the National Theater Company." She mentioned unforgettable works such as "Dress the Woman," "Hong Dangmu," and "Silence of the Sea" from her time at Sanullim, and "Faust," "Love and Hate," and "Look Homeward, Angel" from her time at the National Theater Company. During my 15 years at the National Theater Company, I had the opportunity to meet excellent mentors and senior actors, and there were good aspects in my own way. However, there were also various limitations and constraints in the works. As time went on, I found myself increasingly at odds with this atmosphere, which led to conflicts. I became a fighter, so to speak."[2]
In 1989, during a challenging period in her life, Son received a call from a producer. They met, and Son was asked to read a letter. She was moved to tears by the letter and subsequently became the host of the MBC radio show Women's Era with Son Sook and Kim Seung-hyun. The stories she read, which addressed issues such as marital conflicts, financial struggles, and personal hardships, resonated with listeners. Son Sook's empathy and personal experiences contributed to the show's success.[4]
'Son Sook's Mother' was first performed on stage at the Jeongdong Theater in 1998. This work, written and directed by Lee Yun-taek, received a warm response from audiences at the time. Inspired by the success, Jeongdong Theater Director Hong Sa-jong, Lee Yun-taek, and Son Sook at the time promised to make 'Son Sook's Mother' a regular repertoire at Jeongdong Theater for the next 20 years, but this did not materialize.[6]
Brief political career
In 1998, she was a member of the Women's Special Committee and a non-standing director of the Arts Council. The following year, in 1999, she became a co-representative of the Environmental Movement Coalition. In May 1999, she held the position of the 6th Minister of Environment until June 1999.[4]
Son Sook, who took on the role of Minister of Environment on May 24, 1999, found herself in a situation where she received $20,000 as a gesture of encouragement from the National Federation of Entrepreneurs following her performance at the Taganka National Theatre in Moscow, Russia on May 30 of the same year. Initially, Son Sook justified accepting the funds based on her identity as a theatre professional. However, after assuming the position of Minister of the Environment, concerns arose due to the significant amount of money provided by the corporate representative organization.[7][4] It is worth noting that regulations governing the conduct of public officials prohibit them from accepting more than 50,000 won for any purpose.[8]
According to Son Sook's account of the situation, she received a ministerial offer one week prior to the Russian performance. Since it was part of a preexisting international agreement, they decided to proceed with the performance. The experience on stage became a memorable one, with the audience passionately chanting "Mama" for 15 minutes and giving a standing ovation. In this emotionally charged moment, corporate individuals who joined them on stage unknowingly contributed the funds as a form of encouragement. The funds were then distributed among the members and used as a penalty fee for their inability to perform in regional shows. Unfortunately, this action was later accused of being a bribe. Subsequently, Son Sook resigned from her ministerial role and faced a deep sense of injustice, enduring sleepless nights filled with tears for a period of ten days.[1][4][9][10]
Back to theater
In November 1999, Son Sook took to the stage for the first time since resigning from her position as Minister of Environment in June of that year. Son appeared in the play "That Woman," directed by Lim Young-woong, which premiered at the Sanullim Small Theater in Seoul at 3 pm on the 16th. "That Woman" is a one-person play that presents a new stage adaptation of Simone de Beauvoir's "Woman in Desperate," portraying the despair of a woman who believes she has achieved success in life and love, only to discover her husband's infidelity. This performance was performed until January 23, 2000.[11]
In the year 2000, Son Sook graced the stage of the Towol Theater at the National Theater of Korea with the play "Mother," running from December 7 to the 31st. This production, written by Lee Youn-taek, marked its third staging, following its initial performance in 1996 and a subsequent one in 1999. Son Sook's return to the role of Mother after her previous performance in Moscow, along with the controversy surrounding the termination of the play 20-year long-term contract with Jeongdong Theater, generated considerable buzz for this particular performance.[12][13]
"Theater is a live art form where actors and the audience breathe together. It is an extraordinary experience when actors and the audience meet each other's gaze and share the same breath. Moreover, unlike screens or TV dramas, theater often provides healing for the audience. Despite the challenging environment in theater, I love it and transcend all of that for the love of theater."[1]
In 2004, Son Sook's Mother was performed in COEX Art Hall.[14][15]
In 2007, after 15 years, Son and Park Jeong-ja, who had previously worked together in a production back in 1992, reunited for the play Agnes of God. This play revolves around the character of Agnes, a young nun, and explores the intense psychological conflicts and confrontations between the senior nun and the psychiatrist. Since its South Korean initial debut in 1983, play Agnes of God has enjoyed immense popularity, consistently selling out every performance.[16]
Remove ads
Other activities
She took on the role of Chairperson of the Ethiopian Korean War Veterans Support Association.[17][18]
In March 2006, she was appointed a visiting professor in the Department of Theater and Film at Dankook University.[19][20]
From April 2013 to May 2020, she was the Director of the Mapo Cultural Foundation.[21]
Finally, from September 2018 to September 2021, she held the position of Director of the Arts Council.[22]
Philanthropy
In 2002, she became a co-representative of the Beautiful Store. Beautiful Store cleans donated used goods such as used clothes, used home appliances, and used books and sells them at low prices. It is a place to sell at a reasonable price and use the proceeds to help the less fortunate. It was started with the opening of its first store in Anguk-dong, Jongno District, Seoul on October 18, 2002. In 2003, it sold recycled products provided by over 10,900 individual donors over the course of a year. With the proceeds, a total of 55 million won was provided to 52 organizations.[1]
'Son Sook Kim Seung Hyun's Letter Show' was attracting attention by hosting 'Radio Beautiful Shop' that helps neighbors in need through auctions of stars' cherished items.[23]
Remove ads
Personal life
Son Sook and Kim Sung-ok, who met in university drama club, married in 1965. Their love story developed while they played the lead roles in play The Three-Cornered Hat. Kim Sung-ok, later artistic director of the Mokpo Municipal Theater, shared Son's deep passion for theater.[2] The couple had three daughters.[1][24] Their granddaughter is Australian actress Yerin Ha.[25] In December 2022, Son's husband, Kim Sung-ok, who was CEO of the theater company Shinhyup at the time, died in December 2022 at the age of 87.[26]
Remove ads
Filmography
Film
Television series
Web series
Radio programs
Remove ads
Stage
Musical
Theater performances (60s to 90s)
Theater Performances (2000s)
Remove ads
Book
- Love Out[184]
- Smile, love (2006)
- There is no one without scars in their heart
- Looking at the sky from the edge of a cliff
- What makes me so
- Crying and laughing and living together
- A very special interview with Son Sook (2007)
Accolades
Awards and nominations
State honors
Listicles
Remove ads
Others
- In 1995, KBS 1TV's "Human Theatre" aired "Actor's Notebook" about Son Sook's diary, and actor Heo Yoon-jung's main characters Son Sook and Park Seung-ho appeared as Son Sook's husband Kim Seong-ok.[204]
Notes
- Tied with Ahn Eun-suk, Baek Sung-hee, Lee Soon-jae, Oh Hyeon-kyung.
- Honors are given at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, arranged by the Korea Creative Content Agency and hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.[197][198] They are awarded to those who have contributed to the arts and South Korea's pop culture.[199]
- Jeong Jin-soo, a theater director and former professor at Sungkyunkwan University and the head of the People's Theater Company, says about those who represent Korean theater. Representative Jeong collects the lives of 34 leading Korean theater artists and publishes 'The Life of a Theater Artist - A Biography of Korea's Representative Theater Artists.' The book is a compilation of interviews with 34 theater artists from the content serialized by the author in the magazine 'Korean Theater'.
Remove ads
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads