Playwright-Director Ko Seon-woong: Turning Tears into Laughter
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Renowned Korean director-playwright Ko Seon-woong is celebrated for blending heavy realities with unexpected humor, creating works that make audiences both cry and laugh. Starting from his theater roots and founding the troupe Mabangjin in 2005, Ko gained attention with playful adaptations like Kal-Macbeth (2005) and expanded his range with the acclaimed Pu-reun-eun Nal-e (2011) about the May 18 Gwangju Uprising, which balances historical grief with moments of warmth. His genre-crossing projects include the modernized madang opera Byun-Gangsoe Jeom Jikgo Ongnyeo (2014) that globalized changgeuk (traditional Korean opera), the award-winning revenge drama Jossi Goa, Seed of Vengeance, and the musical Gwangju (2020). Recent works such as the sori-geuk (vocal drama) Seo-pyeon-je: The Original (2025) show his commitment to human-centered storytelling and innovation across theater, musical, and traditional forms. Colleagues praise his respect for actors’ autonomy and his persistent focus on humanity in art.
