'The Eternal Hamlet' Actor Kim Dong-won Returns to the National Theater

Kim Dong-won 18th Memorial Ceremony and Bust Unveiling
"Theater Community Elder Forgotten, Will Create 'Kim Dong-won Theater'"

"He was a great elder in the theater world, but after his passing, he was largely forgotten. I hope that by honoring him again now, it will serve as an opportunity to properly guide the flow of the theater community."

Yoon In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is attending the unveiling ceremony of the bust of the late actor Kim Dong-won held on the 13th at the National Theater in Jung-gu, Seoul, looking at the bust.
[Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

On the 13th, Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, made these remarks during a memorial speech at the unveiling ceremony of the bust of the late actor Kim Dong-won (1916?2006) held in the lobby of the National Theater of Korea’s Haeoreum Theater in Namsan, Seoul, titled "The Eternal Hamlet."

Minister Yoo, who is also a former actor, expressed regret, saying, "This is a ceremony to honor the teacher, but unfortunately, most attendees are elders, and it is regrettable that juniors in their 40s, 50s, or younger are not present." He added, "I think the difficulties our theater community is facing are less about economic or external issues and more about a break in the historical continuity."

The late Kim Dong-won was a leading representative actor of the first generation of Korean theater, active from the Japanese colonial period through the 1990s. Born in 1916 in Gaeseong, he was a founding member of the theater troupe Geukyesulhyeophoe in 1947 and appeared in numerous plays. In 1951, during the era of Geukdan Sinhyeop, the predecessor of the National Theater Company, he played the role of Hamlet for the first time in Korea at the Daegu Kinema Theater, delivering a passionate performance that earned him the nickname "The Eternal Hamlet." He showcased realistic acting that differentiated itself from the melodramatic plays dominant at the time, contributing to realism becoming the mainstream in Korean theater. He served as director of the National Theater Company and advisor to the Korean Theater Association, and was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit, Geumgwan Medal, in 2006.

Minister Yoo further explained, "Five theaters are being constructed in a building under construction in Seogye-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and the Jayu Center across from Namsan (National Theater) is also undergoing remodeling. In three to four years, it will become a performing arts creation center, playing an important role alongside the existing National Theater."

He emphasized, "When the National Theater Company returns to the National Theater, one of the newly built theaters will definitely be named 'Kim Dong-won.'"

The bust unveiling ceremony held that day was reportedly initiated at Minister Yoo’s suggestion. Kim Deok-hwan, the eldest son of Kim Dong-won, shared his thoughts, saying, "It is an honor to have the bust placed in the lobby of the National Theater, where my father’s last play, 'Lee Seong-gye’s Real Estate,' was performed in March 1994. I believe my father would be pleased as well."

With this, the lobby of the National Theater now houses busts of four theater figures: playwright and director Yoo Chi-jin (1905?1974), actor and director Lee Hae-rang (1916?1989), director Lee Jin-soon (1916?1984), and actor Kim Dong-won.