Yi Sang-woo

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, 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.

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.

Theater troupe Yeonwoo
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.

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.

Theater troupe Chaimu
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. The troupe's name, "Chaimu", "means "dimensional movement stage".

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.

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.

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.

Film Director debut
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.

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.