Kang Sunghee (Korean: ê°•ì„±í ¬; 1921â€"2009) was a Korean playwright.
In 1965, she made her literary debut with the play Jajangga (ìž ìž¥ê°€
Lullaby). Many of her works address problems that women face in the
traditional institution of family. Through biographical plays, such as
Eodi gasseo, eodi isseo! (ì–´ë"" ê°"ì–´, ì–´ë"" 있어! Where Did You
Go, Where Are You!), she successfully showed that men are also victims
of old customs while exposing their egocentric and self-righteous
aspects. She served as the president of the Korean Playwrights
Association from 1981 to 1982.Born in Pyongyang in 1921, Kang Sunghee
spent her childhood in Andong Province, Manchukuo, because of her
father's business. She was able to receive modern education from young
age thanks to her parents’ wholehearted support. She studied abroad
in Japan, where she attended a teacher's school. After Japan lost
World War II, Kang returned to Korea and majored in English
literature. She said she became interested in writing plays after
starring in James Barrie's Quality Street as part of her graduation
project. Upon graduation, however, she got a job as an English teacher
at a high school and married artist Ryu Kyung-Chai, who taught art at
the same school. Marriage, childbirth, and the outbreak of the Korean
War delayed her from starting her career in writing. Her dream of
becoming a playwright only came true years later.In 1965, Kang
published Jajangga and debuted as a playwright at the age of 45. For
over 30 years, she consistently wrote plays. Her play Mwonga dandanhi
jalmotdwaetgeodeun (ë"ê°€ 단단히 잘못ë ê±°ë" Something's
Definitely Wrong), published in 1967, received a great deal of
attention and was staged several times by college students in the
1970s. From 1970, she was an active member of the Korean Writers
Association, Korean Women Writers Association
(í•œêµì—¬ì„±ë¬¸ì ¸í˜'회), and the Korean Centre of PEN
International. She served as the president of the Korean Playwrights
Association from 1981 to 1982 and as a board member of the Korean
Centre of PEN the International from 1988 to 1995. In 1997, she became
a member of the National Academy of Arts of the Republic of
Korea.Kang's 1986 play Huinkkot maeul (í °ê½ƒ ë§ˆì „ White Blossom
Village) earned her a PEN International Literary Award in 1987 and the
Literary Drama Award (í ¬ê³¡ë¬¸í•™ìƒ ) from the Korean Playwright
Association in 1988. In 1996, a complete collection of her plays was
published in 1996, and, in recognition of her literary achievement,
she received the Korean Literature Award [ko] in the same year. For
her contribution to Korean culture, she received the Republic of
Korea's Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit in 1998 and the National
Academy of Arts Award in 2000. Her husband, artist Ryu Kyung-Chai,
died in 1995, followed by their son, sculptor Ryu In, in 1999.
Afterward, Kang wrote a memoir of her family life. She died in 2009.
In 1965, she made her literary debut with the play Jajangga (ìž ìž¥ê°€
Lullaby). Many of her works address problems that women face in the
traditional institution of family. Through biographical plays, such as
Eodi gasseo, eodi isseo! (ì–´ë"" ê°"ì–´, ì–´ë"" 있어! Where Did You
Go, Where Are You!), she successfully showed that men are also victims
of old customs while exposing their egocentric and self-righteous
aspects. She served as the president of the Korean Playwrights
Association from 1981 to 1982.Born in Pyongyang in 1921, Kang Sunghee
spent her childhood in Andong Province, Manchukuo, because of her
father's business. She was able to receive modern education from young
age thanks to her parents’ wholehearted support. She studied abroad
in Japan, where she attended a teacher's school. After Japan lost
World War II, Kang returned to Korea and majored in English
literature. She said she became interested in writing plays after
starring in James Barrie's Quality Street as part of her graduation
project. Upon graduation, however, she got a job as an English teacher
at a high school and married artist Ryu Kyung-Chai, who taught art at
the same school. Marriage, childbirth, and the outbreak of the Korean
War delayed her from starting her career in writing. Her dream of
becoming a playwright only came true years later.In 1965, Kang
published Jajangga and debuted as a playwright at the age of 45. For
over 30 years, she consistently wrote plays. Her play Mwonga dandanhi
jalmotdwaetgeodeun (ë"ê°€ 단단히 잘못ë ê±°ë" Something's
Definitely Wrong), published in 1967, received a great deal of
attention and was staged several times by college students in the
1970s. From 1970, she was an active member of the Korean Writers
Association, Korean Women Writers Association
(í•œêµì—¬ì„±ë¬¸ì ¸í˜'회), and the Korean Centre of PEN
International. She served as the president of the Korean Playwrights
Association from 1981 to 1982 and as a board member of the Korean
Centre of PEN the International from 1988 to 1995. In 1997, she became
a member of the National Academy of Arts of the Republic of
Korea.Kang's 1986 play Huinkkot maeul (í °ê½ƒ ë§ˆì „ White Blossom
Village) earned her a PEN International Literary Award in 1987 and the
Literary Drama Award (í ¬ê³¡ë¬¸í•™ìƒ ) from the Korean Playwright
Association in 1988. In 1996, a complete collection of her plays was
published in 1996, and, in recognition of her literary achievement,
she received the Korean Literature Award [ko] in the same year. For
her contribution to Korean culture, she received the Republic of
Korea's Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit in 1998 and the National
Academy of Arts Award in 2000. Her husband, artist Ryu Kyung-Chai,
died in 1995, followed by their son, sculptor Ryu In, in 1999.
Afterward, Kang wrote a memoir of her family life. She died in 2009.
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