Yi Sang-woo

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For other people with the same name, see Lee Sang-woo (disambiguation).
In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.

Yi Sang-woo
이상우
Born (1951-10-10) 10 October 1951 (age 72)
South Korea
Other namesLee Sang-woo
Alma materDepartment of Aesthetics from Seoul National University
Occupations
  • Film director
  • Theater director
  • Screenwriter
  • Playwright
Years active1978–present
Korean name
Hangul
이상우
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Sang-u
McCune–ReischauerRi Sang-u

Yi Sang-woo (born 1951), is a South Korean film director, screenwriter and actor. Yi earned his degree in the Department of Aesthetics at Seoul National University. In 1977, he played a significant role in the establishment of the Yeonwoo Stage theater company and, in 1995, he founded the Chaimu Theater Company. Currently,[when?] he is the artistic director of Chaimu and holds a professorship at the Theater Department of Korea National University of Arts, where he was previously the director.[1][unreliable source?]

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.

Career[edit]

Theater troupe Yeonwoo[edit]

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 "Yeongwoo" (演友), which signifies "friends who love theater". 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.[2]

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.

In 1987, he directed the play Chilsu and Mansu. He won a Directing Award from The 23rd Dong-A Theater Awards and The 23rd Baeksang Arts Awards.[3][4]

Theater troupe Chaimu[edit]

In 1995, the Chaimu theater group was founded by Yi with founding members including Kim Gwang-rim, Kim Seok-man and Jung Han-ryong. The group includes notable actors such as Moon Sung-keun, Yoo Oh-sung and Song Kang-ho.[5] The troupe's name, "Chaimu", "means "dimensional movement stage".[6]

Their inaugural production, Playland, was held from September 8 to October 8 at Hakjeon Blue Theater. It is based on Adol Hugard's altered worldview, aiming to resolve racial tensions between black and white races and to heal the shattered human soul through genuine confessions between the two. Moon Sung-keun, who had been mostly active in movies and TV, took the role of Gide and returned to the theater stage after three years. Ryu Tae-ho, a young theater actor concurrently filming the movie Porn Man, portrayed the character Marty.[6]

The strength of this group lies in the talented actors like Kang Shin-il, Lee Dae-yeon, Lee Sung-min, Choi Duk-moon and Jeon Hye-jin, who have made their mark in various fields including film and drama, showcasing their solid acting skills. They also excel in creating stage adaptations that reflect reality in a delightful manner. As a result, they have received great love and have a wide repertoire that has sustained its popularity.[7]

The five representative works of Chaimu exemplify its distinctive features. Some of these works have been performed for 25 years since their premiere, yet they continue to resonate with audiences through their diverse narratives.[7]

Film Director debut[edit]

In 2009, Yi Sang-woo's first film as director, A Little Pond, was released. It is a historical film that exposes the massacre of civilians in Nogeun-ri during the Korean War, when American soldiers killed South Koreans who were seeking refuge. Yi Sang-woo initially planned the project as a documentary but later changed it into a feature film due to insufficient investment. The film was completed after an extensive production period of eight years, including four years of on-site research. Its most significant achievement lies in its realistic portrayal of the long-suppressed Nogeun-ri incident.[8]

Unlike typical war films, A Little Pond treats all characters as main characters without a specific protagonist. Notably, theater actors such as Moon Seong-geun, Kang Shin-il, Lee Dae-yeon and Park Gwang-jeong participated in the film out of their commitment to its significance, appearing without any guarantee. It received high praise for its authentic depiction of a hidden historical event, but it also faced criticism for its perceived lack of cinematic quality.[8]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Film credit
Year Title Credited as Ref.
English Korean Scriptwriter Director
1988 Chil-su and Man-su 칠수와 만수 Yi Sang-woo Park Kwang-soo [9]
1994 Out to the World 세상 밖으로 Yeo Kyun-Dong [10]
1995 Sunset Into the Neon Lights 네온 속으로 노을지다 Lee Hyun-seung [11]
1998 Film-making 죽이는 이야기 Yeo Kyun-Dong [12]
2000 La Belle 미인 [13]
2010 A Little Pond 작은 연못 Yi Sang-woo [8]

Theater[edit]

Musical and Opera[edit]

Musical works of Yi
Year Title Credited as Ref.
English Korean Translation Adaptation Playwright Director
1995 Musical: "I Will Become a Star," 뮤지컬 '스타가 될꺼야' — — Yi Sang-woo Yi Sang-woo [14]
1979 Opera: Marriage 결혼 — — Yi Sang-woo Yi Sang-woo

Theater[edit]

Theater works of Yi[15]
Year Title Credited as Ref.
English Korean Translation Adaptation Playwright Director
1978 The Sculptor and the Detective 조각가와 탐정 — — Oh Jong-woo Yi Sang-woo [16]
1979 Our Afterlife 우리들의 저승 — — Kim Kwang-rim Yi Sang-woo [17]
1980 Ma at Jangsan Pass 장산곶 매 — Yi Sang-woo [a] — Yi Sang-woo [18]
1981 Children of Darkness 어둠의 자식들 — Yi Sang-woo[b] — Yi Sang-woo [19]
1986 Chilsu and Mansu 칠수와 만수 — Yi Sang-woo, Oh Jong-Woo[c] — Yi Sang-woo [20]
1989 The Story of an Old Thief 늙은 도둑 이야기 — — Yi Sang-woo Yi Sang-woo [21]
1990 Bosunga Flower Water 봉숭이 꽃물 — Yi Sang-woo[d] — Yi Sang-woo [22]
1992 Cooney Country - Wonderland 쿠니 나라 - 이상한 나라 — Yi Sang-woo[e] Bertolt Brecht Yi Sang-woo [23]
1994 April 9 4월9일 — — Yi Sang-woo Yi Sang-woo [24]
1994 Apartment's Leucistrate - Let's unify men and women 아파트의 류씨스트라테 - 남녀통일합시다 Yi Sang-Woo[f] — Aristophanes Yi Sang-woo [25]
1995 Playland 플레이랜드 Yi Sang-woo[g] — Athol Fugard Yi Sang-woo [26]
1996 The Dwarf Shoots a Small Ball 난장이가 쏘아올린 작은 공 — Yi Sang-woo[h] Jo Se-hee Yi Sang-woo [27]
1996 Be Unspoken 비언소 — — Yi Sang-woo Yi Sang-woo, Park Gwang-jeong [28]
1997 Peace 평화 씨 Yi Sang-Woo[i] — Aristophanes Yi Sang-woo [29]
1997 Fish Man 물고기 남자 — — Lee Kang-baek Yi Sang-woo [30]
1998 Moral thief 도덕적 도둑 — — Yi Sang-Woo Yi Sang-woo [31]
1999 Unification Express 통일 익스프레스 — — Oh Tae-young Yi Sang-woo [32]
2000 Korea Fantasy 마르고 닳도록 — — Lee Kang-baek Yi Sang-woo [33]
2003 Pig Hunting 돼지 사냥 — — Yi Sang-woo Min Bok-ki [34]
2007 Change 변 — — Hwang Ji-woo, Yi Sang-woo Yi Sang-woo [35]
2010 The Pitmen Painters 광부화가들 Yi Sang-Woo — Lee Hall Yi Sang-woo [36]
2010–2011 Almost, Maine 올모스트 메인 Yi Sang-Woo — John Cariani Yi Sang-woo [37]
2013 Love, Love, Love 러브 러브 러브 Yi Sang-Woo — Mike Bartlett Yi Sang-woo [38]
2014 The Cosmonaut's Last Message to the Woman He Once Loved in the Former Soviet Union 한때 사랑했던 여자에게 보내는 구소련 우주비행사의 마지막 메시지 — — David Greig Yi Sang-woo [39]
2016 Twenty Twenty Chaimu - Tail Cotton Story 스물스물 차이무 - 꼬리솜 이야기 — — Yi Sang-Woo Yi Sang-Woo [40]
That place - 2016 Series theatre full (滿員) - Seongnam 거기-2016 시리즈 연극 만원(滿員) - 성남 Seong Su-jeong Yi Sang-woo[j] Conor McPherson Yi Sang-woo [41]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref
1987 23rd Dong-A Theatre Awards Best Director Chilsu and Mansu Won [42]
23rd Baeksang Arts Awards Best Director — Theater Won
1995 The 1st Korea Musical Awards Play of the Year Award I Will Become a Star Won
1998 Korea Theater Association Award Best Director — Theater Moral Thief Won
1999 Korean Theater Association Play of the Year Award Unification Express Top 5 [43]
2000 Korean Theater Association Award Best Director Korea Fantasy Won [44]
2002 3rd Kim Sang-ryeol Theater Award Theater Award Yi Sang-Woo Won [45]
Korea Theater Critics Association Play of the Year Award There Top 3
Korean Theater Association Award Play of the Year Award Top 7

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ adapted by Lee Sang-woo from the original novel by Hwang Seok-young
  2. ^ adapted from the original work by Lee Cheol-yong
  3. ^ adapted, based on the original work by Hwang Chun-myeong
  4. ^ adapted from the original novel by Kim Min-sook
  5. ^ adapted by Lee Sang-woo from the original work by Bertolt Brecht
  6. ^ adapted by Lee Sang-woo from the original work by Aristophanes
  7. ^ translated based on the work by Adol Hugard
  8. ^ adapted from the original work by Jo Se-hee
  9. ^ adapted by Lee Sang-woo from the original work by Aristophanes
  10. ^ adapted by Lee Sang-woo from the original work by Conor McPherson

References[edit]

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  2. ^ "[문화]30년 대학로 지킨 연우무대 사람들". Weekly Kyunghyang (in Korean). 24 July 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
    - "연우무대". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  3. ^ "동아연극상". The Dong-a Ilbo. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
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  5. ^ "송강호·유오성 배출한 극단 '차이무'…20년간 버텨온 저력". No Cut News. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  6. ^ a b "극단 차이무의 '플레이랜드'". Naver News (in Korean). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b "공연의 모든 것 - 플레이DB". www.playdb.co.kr. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
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  17. ^ "우리들의 저승" [Our Afterlife]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  18. ^ "장산곶 매" [Ma at Jangsan Pass]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  19. ^ "어둠의 자식들" [Children of Darkness]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  20. ^ "칠수와 만수(이상우)". 다음 백과 (in Korean). 6 June 1980. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  21. ^ "(제1회) 동숭연극제 ; 늙은 도둑 이야기" [(The 1st) Dongsung Theatre Festival ; The Story of an Old Thief]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  22. ^ "비" [Bi]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  23. ^ "쿠니 나라 - 이상한 나라" [Cooney Country - Wonderland]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  24. ^ "4월9일" [April 9]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  25. ^ "아파트의 류씨스트라테 - 남녀통일합시다" [Apartment's Leucistrate - Let's unify men and women]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
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  27. ^ "난장이가 쏘아올린 작은 공" [The Dwarf Shoots a Small Ball]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
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  29. ^ "평화 씨" [Peace]. DA-arts (in Korean). Retrieved 11 February 2023.
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  40. ^ "가슴 한 켠이 따뜻해 지는 그 겨울 풍경, 스물스물 차이무 마지막 연극 '양덕원 이야기'". 100세시대의 동반자 브릿지경제 (in Korean). 30 December 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
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  43. ^ 임, 형두. "연극협회, '우수공연 베스트5' 선정". Naver News (in Korean). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
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External links[edit]

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