Theatre Star Yoon Seok-hwa Mourned in Daehangno Farewell
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Veteran theatre actress Yoon Seok-hwa, a leading figure of Korea’s stage for over 50 years, was honored in a public farewell (noje; a traditional theatrical memorial) on Dec. 21 at Han-Ye Theatre in Daehangno, Seoul. About 100 family members and fellow artists, including renowned actors Park Jeong-ja and Son Sook, attended despite freezing weather. GIL Hae-yeon, chair of the Korean Theatre Welfare Foundation, praised Yoon’s lifelong devotion to theatre and read a moving eulogy. Colleagues and former castmates sang Yoon’s favorite song “In the Flower Garden” as a tribute; many attendees wept. Yoon, who debuted in 1975 and starred in landmark plays such as The Divine Agnes (Shin-ui Agnes), Hamlet and Dear Daughter, also produced and directed musicals and helped sustain Korea’s performing arts community through ventures like founding Dolkkot Company and opening the Jeongmiso Theatre (정미소 극장). She died on Dec. 19 after battling a malignant brain tumor; her remains will be interred at Yongin Park HonoreStone. The government is considering awarding her a posthumous cultural medal for her contributions to Korean theatre.
