Koh Sun-woong named best director of the year

Koh Sun-woong

Director Koh Sun-woong was named Best Director of the Year by the Korea Theater Directors Association (KTDA), Tuesday.

The association chose the 47-year-old as the winner of their inaugural award, citing his creative contributions to the development of Korean theater.

Known for his playful yet stylish style based on an understanding of human nature, Koh has had a busy year, working in various genre with diverse styles, staging plays including “Killbeth,” “On an Azure Day,” “The Stainless Steel King” and “Hongdo,” as well as the big musical production “Arirang,” and changgeuk (traditional Korean opera) “Madame Ong.”

The KTDA selection committee members ― Kim Kwang-bo, Son Jeung-woo, Song Mi-sook and Choi Yong-hoon ― said they unanimously chose Koh as the winner due to his versatility.

Koh studied journalism at Chung-Ang University and made his theatrical debut in 1999, winning the Hankook Ilbo’s annual literary contest.

He has also won the Korea Play Award for his direction of “On an Azure Day” in 2011 and penning “Aging Skill” in 2012. Nowadays he runs the theater troupe Play Factory Mabangzen.

Koh once said, elaborating on his directorial style, “My theater is all about playing… so we need to play well, and have fun too. I believe this approach infuses our lives with vitality, broadens our spectrum of imagination, and ultimately touches a string in all our hearts.”

The awards ceremony, sponsored by the Life Insurance Social Contribution Committee, will be held at Daehangno, Dec. 7.