'Korean Hamlet' Dies at 88
Published on | Source
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Veteran actor Kim Dong-won-III, who played Hamlet for the first time in Korean theatrical history, died on Saturday. He was 88.
Kim had suffered from a cerebral disease since 2004.
As a member of the theatrical troupe Sinhyop, a former body of the National Drama Company of Korea, Kim took the role of Hamlet when the favorite Shakespearean tragedy premiered in South Korea in 1951. Since then, the actor got the nicknames of "Hamlet of Korea" and "Laurence Kerr Olivier of Korea" for his appearance and acting style.
Born in Kaesong, North Korea, he graduated from Nihon University in 1937 and was a founding member of the Theatrical Arts Association in 1947.
Since his acting debut in 1932, when he appeared in the play "Whale" (Korae), he appeared in about 300 plays, including "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Death of a Salesman". Considered a representative actor of the first generation in the Korean theater, his last stage appearance was in the 1994 drama, "Lee Song-gye's Real Estate".
He also showed up in movies such as "Enemy of Women" (Yosongui Chok) (1956), "Star in My Heart - 1959" (Pyora, Nae Kasome) (1959) and "Story of Chunhyang" (Chunhyangjon) (1961).
His contribution to the performing arts was honored with several awards, including the "Pogwan" Order of Cultural Merits in 1990.
Apart from being on stage he was active in the local theatrical scene working as a cultural committee member for the Seoul City government in 1963, vice chairman of the Korean Play Association in 1985 and a chairman of the play, movie and dance department at the National Academy of Arts.
He is survived by his widow and three sons.
His funeral will be on Wednesday at Seoul Samsung Hospital in southern Seoul. For more information, call (02) 3410-6915.
Staff Reporter
Veteran actor Kim Dong-won-III, who played Hamlet for the first time in Korean theatrical history, died on Saturday. He was 88.
Kim had suffered from a cerebral disease since 2004.
As a member of the theatrical troupe Sinhyop, a former body of the National Drama Company of Korea, Kim took the role of Hamlet when the favorite Shakespearean tragedy premiered in South Korea in 1951. Since then, the actor got the nicknames of "Hamlet of Korea" and "Laurence Kerr Olivier of Korea" for his appearance and acting style.
Born in Kaesong, North Korea, he graduated from Nihon University in 1937 and was a founding member of the Theatrical Arts Association in 1947.
Since his acting debut in 1932, when he appeared in the play "Whale" (Korae), he appeared in about 300 plays, including "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Death of a Salesman". Considered a representative actor of the first generation in the Korean theater, his last stage appearance was in the 1994 drama, "Lee Song-gye's Real Estate".
He also showed up in movies such as "Enemy of Women" (Yosongui Chok) (1956), "Star in My Heart - 1959" (Pyora, Nae Kasome) (1959) and "Story of Chunhyang" (Chunhyangjon) (1961).
His contribution to the performing arts was honored with several awards, including the "Pogwan" Order of Cultural Merits in 1990.
Apart from being on stage he was active in the local theatrical scene working as a cultural committee member for the Seoul City government in 1963, vice chairman of the Korean Play Association in 1985 and a chairman of the play, movie and dance department at the National Academy of Arts.
He is survived by his widow and three sons.
His funeral will be on Wednesday at Seoul Samsung Hospital in southern Seoul. For more information, call (02) 3410-6915.
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