Son Sook

Son Sook (; born May 13, 1944) is a South Korean actress and former politician. In her first year at Korea University, she made her debut as the protagonist in the play Samgakmoja, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the school's founding. In 1969, she became a founding member of the theater group Sanwoollim, and in 1971, she joined the National Theater, working with renowned directors of the time such as Lee Hae-rang.

Starting with MBC's Women's Era in 1989, she has been hosting radio broadcasts for over 20 years. In 1999, she was the co-representative of the Environmental Movement Union and later became the Minister of Environment. In addition, she has been involved in volunteer activities in various social organizations, including as co-representative of "Beautiful Store" in 2002.

She has received the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Theater Actress three times for her performances in Volcano (1975), Guest (1979), and Mother (1999). She has also received awards such as the Korea Theater Festival Best Actress Award (1986), Lee Hae-rang Theater Award (1997), and the Eungwan Cultural Medal (2012). Her published works include Living Together, Crying and Laughing, People Son Sook Met, Women's Notebook, and The Island Village Boy, Former President Kim Dae-jung.

Early life and education Son was born in Dajuk-ri Jukseo Village, Sanoe-myeon, Miryang-gun (present-day Miryang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do), during the period of Japanese rule. Her primary education in Miryang was disrupted by the outbreak of the Korean War. Following the requisition of her school for use as a military hospital, students were displaced and forced to attend classes in various provisional locations. These makeshift educational settings included outdoor lessons by the riverside using pine trees as chalkboards and winter sessions held in borrowed storage facilities. During this period, students received milk powder and school supplies via American military transport. Despite the prevalence of cold, hunger, and the visible displacement of war refugees, Son later characterized her rural upbringing during the conflict as a formative experience.

Following a six-month period at Busan Girls' Middle School, Son relocated to Seoul with her mother and younger sibling, to pursue better educational opportunities. Son's mother had married at sixteen, though her husband had subsequently moved to Japan for his studies, leaving her to manage the household independently. Upon arriving in Seoul, the family settled in Donam-dong, where they initially faced difficulties adjusting to the urban environment and the social perception of their rural origins.

In May 1963, while majoring in history at Korea University, Son was cast in the lead female role of The Three-Cornered Hat by Spanish playwright Alarcón y Ariza. The production commemorated the 60th anniversary of the university. The male lead was portrayed by Kim Sung-ok, a senior member of the university drama club. Their professional collaboration developed into a romantic relationship, and they married two years later in 1965. Career

Career in Dongin Theater, Sanullim Theater and National Theater In 1968, she joined the theater group Dongin Theater and started her career as a professional actress, taking on the role of Electra in Eugene O'Neill's play Mourning Becomes Electra. In the following year, She joined Sanullim Theater, which was founded in 1969. During her time in the troupe, She formed a lasting relationship with director Lim Young-woong, whom she regarded as a lifelong mentor.

Back to theater In November 1999, Son Sook appeared in the play That Woman, directed by Lim Young-woong, which premiered at the Sanullim Small Theater in Seoul at 3 pm on the 16th. That Woman is a one-person play that presents a new stage adaptation of Simone de Beauvoir's Woman in Desperate, portraying the despair of a woman who believes she has achieved success in life and love, only to discover her husband's infidelity. This was performed until January 23, 2000.

In the year 2000, Son Sook performed at the Towol Theater at the National Theater of Korea with the play Mother, running from December 7 to 31. This production, written by Lee Youn-taek, was its third staging, following earlier performances in 1996 and 1999. Son Sook's return to the role of Mother after her previous performance in Moscow, along with the controversy surrounding the termination of the play's 20-year contract with Jeongdong Theater, generated considerable buzz. "Theater is a live art form where actors and the audience breathe together. It is an extraordinary experience when actors and the audience meet each other's gaze and share the same breath. Moreover, unlike screens or TV dramas, theater often provides healing for the audience. Despite the challenging environment in theater, I love it and transcend all of that for the love of theater."

In 2007, after 15 years, Son and Park Jeong-ja, who had previously worked together in 1992, reunited for the play Agnes of God. This play revolves around the character of Agnes, a young nun, and explores the intense psychological conflicts and confrontations between the senior nun and the psychiatrist. Since its South Korean debut in 1983, Agnes of God has enjoyed immense popularity, consistently selling out every performance.

Other activities On May 24, 1999, Son was appointed the 6th Minister of Environment, a position she held for less than a month. Following a performance at the Taganka National Theatre in Moscow, on May 30, she received $20,000 from the Federation of Korean Industries. While Son defended the payment as a traditional gesture of encouragement for theater professionals, the transaction drew immediate public scrutiny as regulations prohibited public officials from accepting gifts exceeding 50,000 won. Son clarified that the ministerial offer had arrived just one week before the Russian performance, which proceeded due to prior international commitments. She stated that the funds were presented on stage, received by the theater director, and used to cover penalty fees for canceled regional shows and crew compensation. Despite this explanation, the incident was characterized as a bribe in media and political spheres, leading Son to resign on June 25, 1999, while citing a profound sense of injustice.

Prior and after her brief ministerial position, Son has held several leadership roles in the arts and humanitarian sectors. In 1998, Son was a member of the Women's Special Committee and as a non-standing director of the Arts Council Korea. In 2014, She was the chairperson of the Ethiopian Korean War Veterans Support Association. From April 2013 to May 2020, she was the director of the Mapo Cultural Foundation. From September 2018 to September 2021, she was director of the Arts Council.

Philanthropy In 2002, she became a co-representative of the Beautiful Store. Beautiful Store cleans donated used goods such as used clothes, used home appliances, and used books and sells them at low prices. It uses the proceeds to help the less fortunate. It was started with the opening of its first store in Anguk-dong, Jongno District, Seoul on October 18, 2002. In 2003, it sold recycled products provided by over 10,900 individual donors over the course of a year. A total of 55 million won was provided to 52 organizations.

Personal life Son Sook married Kim Sung-ok in 1965 after meeting in their university drama club. Their relationship developed while they performed the lead roles in the play The Three-Cornered Hat. Kim later was the artistic director of the Mokpo Municipal Theater. Among their descendants, only their granddaughter, Australian actress Yerin Ha, followed their career path into acting. In December 2022, Kim died at the age of 87 while CEO of the theater company Shinhyup.

Filmography Film

Television series

Radio programs Stage Musical +Musical plays performancesYearTitleRoleTheaterDate English Korean1994 Guys and Dolls 아가씨와 건달들 Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center January 21 to February

Theater performances (60s to 90s)

Theater Performances (2000s)

Book Love Out Smile, love (2006) There is no one without scars in their heart Looking at the sky from the edge of a cliff What makes me so Crying and laughing and living together A very special interview with Son Sook (2007)

Accolades Awards and nominations

State honors

Listicles

Others In 1995, KBS 1TV's "Human Theatre" aired "Actor's Notebook" about Son Sook's diary, and actor Heo Yoon-jung's main characters Son Sook and Park Seung-ho appeared as Son Sook's husband Kim Seong-ok.