Veteran Actor Kwon Seong-deok, Famous for Portraying Syngman Rhee, Passes Away

Famous Died After Battling Esophageal Cancer

Veteran actor Kwon Seong-deok, who served as the director of the National Theater Company of Korea, has passed away at the age of 84. According to the theater community on the 14th, he died the day before after battling esophageal cancer.

He was born in 1940 in Naju, Jeollanam-do. He began his acting career in 1963 as a member of the theater troupe 'Gwangjang.' In 1972, he joined the National Theater Company of Korea and served as its director from 1994 to 1996.

He appeared in over 180 plays during his lifetime and also made numerous appearances in television dramas. He attracted attention for his resemblance to former President Syngman Rhee in dramas such as 'Yain Sidae' and 'Yeongung Sidae.'

Throughout his prolific career, he received numerous awards including the Korean Theater and Film Awards New Actor Award (1969), Baeksang Arts Awards New Actor Award (1970), Dong-A Theater Awards Best Actor Award (1970, 1992), Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor Award (1975), Korean Theater and Film Awards Best Actor Award (1976), Theater Actors Association Actor of the Year Award (2000), and the Lee Hae-rang Theater Award (2002).

He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2016 while preparing for the play 'Hamlet.' Although he stepped away from the stage for a while, he made a comeback in 2018 with the play 'Romulus the Great,' demonstrating his enduring presence. The funeral is being held at Seoul National University Hospital Funeral Hall, with the funeral procession scheduled for 9 a.m. on the 16th.