The renowned theater director Im Yeong-ung, whom I deeply respected for many years, passed away last May. Every time I pass by the Sanwoollim Small Theater near Hongdae, memories of him come flooding back.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Sanwoollim’s opening. Over the years, I made sure to attend its anniversary performances for the 10th, 20th, and 30th milestones.
Each production was remarkable in its own way. They reminded me of Director Im and his wife, translator Oh Jeung-ja. His profound affection and respect for his wife, combined with the persuasive charm of Sanwoollim’s planning director Jeon Ok-ran, drew me into nearly every performance.
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| ▲ Theatre Sanwoollim director Im Young-woong reminisces about his past stage directing during an interview with Yonhap News at Sanwoollim Small Theater in Wausan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on April 26, 2019. (Yonhap) |
Director Im and I shared a particularly close bond. I vividly remember delivering a congratulatory speech at Sanwoollim’s 20th-anniversary performance two decades ago.
The theater company always treated me like family. You could say that my frequent visits led to a growing closeness, and that closeness, in turn, led to my role in delivering the speech.
There was a common perception that Director Im favored only three actresses—Son Sook, Park Jeong-ja, and Yoon Seok-hwa. While that might have been true to some extent, there were also productions that simply could not have been staged anywhere but at Sanwoollim. That was both reassuring and admirable.
Among them, Waiting for Godot was a defining work, performed over 1,500 times since 1969, drawing more than 220,000 audience members. The same could be said for In the Solitude of Cotton Fields. Especially for a challenging piece like In the Solitude of Cotton Fields, only Director Im could have had the courage to take it on.
Who else would dare present such a scriptless play to an audience, considering the challenge of attracting viewers?
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| ▲ Reception party for the 30th anniversary performance of "Waiting for Godot" at Sanwoollim in 2015. The author (1st from R), Oh Jeong-ja (2nd from R), and Im Young-woong (3rd from L). Photo courtesy of the author. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
While Director Im’s direction was outstanding, the production also benefited from the high quality of the original work, as well as the skilled translation and dramaturgy of his son, Professor Im Su-hyeon of Seoul Institute of the Arts.
Particularly striking were the brilliant performances of the character actors Kim Cheol-ri and Park Yong-su.
On a personal note, Farewell Forever, Farewell starring Yoon Seok-hwa remains unforgettable for me. Kim Byeol-ah’s original story was already excellent, but Yoon’s heart-wrenching performance moved audiences to tears.
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| ▲ Actress Park Jung-ja lays a flower during the funeral ceremony for the late Im Young-woong, director of Theatre Sanwoollim, held at Marronnier Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on May 7, 2024. (Yonhap) |
As Sanwoollim prepares for its next chapter with its 40th anniversary, my heartfelt wish is not only for the theater’s success but for a new era of growth and prosperity for all struggling theater artists in Korea.
I may not know everything, but I believe that despite the hardships faced by Korea’s theater industry, it has accumulated deep expertise and experience over time.
With a Minister of Culture who has roots in theater, the industry seems poised for takeoff.
And who’s to say? Perhaps one day, a single theater production in Korea will draw an audience of ten million.
The new year of 2025 has arrived, but today, more than ever, I find myself missing Director Im Yeong-ung.
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