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Kang Soo-yeon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the professional golfer, see Kang Soo-yun.
In this Korean name, the family name is Kang.

Kang Soo-yeon
Kang in 2009
Born(1966-08-18)August 18, 1966
Seoul, South Korea
DiedMay 7, 2022(2022-05-07) (aged 55)
Seoul, South Korea
Other namesKang Su-yeon, Kang Soo-youn
OccupationActress
Years active1969–2022
Korean name
Hangul
강수연
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGang Su-yeon
McCune–ReischauerKang Suyŏn

Kang Soo-yeon (Korean: 강수연; August 18, 1966 – May 7, 2022) was a South Korean actress. An internationally acclaimed star from the mid-1980s to the end of the 1990s, she is often honorifically nicknamed Korea's "first world star".[1][2][3][4]

Kang began her acting career as a child and gained national recognition with A High School Student's Diary on KBS 1TV (1983–1984), and the comedy films Whale Hunting 2 (1985) and Mimi and Cheolsu's Youth Sketch (1987). However, she would remain unknown outside her country until her breakout role in Im Kwon-taek's The Surrogate Woman (1987).[A] She won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the 44th Venice International Film Festival for this role, making her the first Korean actor to receive an award at a major international film festival. In 1989, she received the Bronze St. George at the 16th Moscow International Film Festival for Come Come Come Upward (1989), which further established her "world star" title.

From the early 2000s and onwards however, her output slowed significantly. Kang took years off between film appearances and switched to acting on the small screen, where she achieved moderate success for starring in Ladies of the Palace (2001–02) on SBS TV. Her last film that was released during her lifetime was Juri (2013). After a nine-year gap, she was set to return to film with the Netflix original Jung_E, directed by Yeon Sang-ho. The production, which finished filming in January 2022, was released after Kang died, in January 2023.

After collapsing from cerebral hemorrhage at her home in southern Seoul on May 5, 2022, Kang was transported to hospital and stayed in the ICU for recovery. She never awoke from the coma and died on May 7, 2022.

Career

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Kang began professionally acting as a child in 1969.[5]

1970s–1991

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As a child actress, Kang appeared in a number of low-profile movies and TV shows in the 1970s and 1980s.[citation needed]

Her career breakthrough happened when she took on a lead role as the vulnerable teenager Ok-nyo in the Im Kwon-taek-directed movie The Surrogate Woman.[A] For the film, she was honored with the Volpi Cup for Best Actress award at the 1987 Venice International Film Festival as well as the Best Actress Award at the Nantes International Film Festival. The former achievement marked the first time a Korean actor, female or male, had been given an award at the major film festival. At the time, it was still considered shocking to many that South Korea even had a film industry.[6][7]

Two years later, Come Come Come Upward, a Buddhist-themed movie also directed by Im, was released. In the film, Kang played the role of Sun-nyeo, a young student who seeks refuge in a monastery to escape from her troubled home; she studies to become a nun and later falls in love.[8] Kang did, in fact, get her head shaved onscreen in the scene when Sun-nyeo becomes a nun.[3][9] She personally felt proud of her performance—later stating she felt her ego was insignificant to her portrayal and that it was "natural for [Sun-nyeo] to shave her head", due to the character's wish to be a nun.[3] Kang won the Bronze St. George at the 16th Moscow International Film Festival for her role in Come Come Come Upward,[10] establishing further credit as Korea's "world star".[11]

In the same year, she was invited to serve as a juror in the Tokyo International Film Festival. In addition, she later became a member of the jury for the 17th Moscow International Film Festival, in 1991.[12]

1990s

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In the 1990s, Kang appeared in a number of movies, the most notable of which are Jang Sun-woo's Road to the Racetrack (1991), That Woman, That Man (1993) by Kim Ui-seok, Lee Myung-se's Their Last Love Affair (1996), and Im Sang-soo's debut, Girls' Night Out (1998). Road to the Racetrack won her several accolades for best actress at award ceremonies, including the Baeksang Arts Awards, Chunsa Film Art Awards, and the Blue Dragon Film Awards. That Woman, That Man was a commercial success at the box office, and she earned another Baeksang Arts Award for Most Popular Actress (her first being in 1990 for her performance in All That Falls Has Wings).[6]

By the end of the decade, Kang had acted in 32 movies. After Rainbow Trout was released in 1999, she cut down her work in film and took to acting on television.[13][14] The actress was invited to be a juror in the 5th Busan International Film Festival, in 2000.[15]

2000s

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After a fifteen-year gap, Kang returned to television in 2001. She was given a starring role in Ladies of the Palace (여인 천하; Yeo-in cheon-ha), a historical drama that aired on SBS TV. The 150-episode series was successful, and it managed to garner her renewed visibility among mainstream audiences.[6] Her performance as Jeong Nan-jeong enabled her to win a daesang, awarded by the channel.[16]

After a hiatus from the movie scene, Kang made her comeback by playing the role of an attorney in The Circle. She then appeared in two more movies, Hanbando in 2006 and With a Girl of Black Soil in 2007. Hanbando received largely negative reviews.[citation needed] In 2007, she continued her foray into mainstream TV by acting in the drama miniseries Moonhee on MBC TV. On the show, she played the role of a woman who is forced to leave her child she had when she was only eighteen.[17][18][19]

2010s and 2020s

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Throughout the 2010s, Kang only appeared in two films, one of which was Im Kwon-taek's Hanji (2011).[20]

In 2015, she became the co-director for the Busan International Film Festival,[21] but left the board two years later.[22]

In 2022, Kang was given a starring role in Yeon Sang-ho's sci-fi action film Jung_E, set in the 22nd century.[23] Filming began in November 2021 and concluded in January 2022.[24] Kang played the role of a researcher at an AI lab who clones the brain of an elite soldier—her mother. The film was released globally on Netflix in January 2023, after Kang's death.[25]

Death

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At 5:48 p.m. (KST) on May 5, 2022, Kang was found unconscious at her home in southern Seoul by first responders. They reported that she had suffered a cardiac arrest[26] after collapsing from a cerebral hemorrhage.[27] Immediately, she was transported to the local Gangnam Severance Hospital, where she was admitted to the ICU and became comatose.[27]

After receiving two days of medical treatment at the hospital, Kang died at 3 p.m. on May 7, 2022.[22][28][29] She was cremated at Seoul Memorial Park (Korean: 서울추모공원) and her ashes were buried at the Honor Stone (Korean: 용인공원) on May 11, 2022.

Reactions

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Jeonju International Film Festival, which incidentally concluded on May 7, 2022, commemorated Kang's legacy through social media, writing: "The Jeonju International Film Festival commemorates the passing of the late actress Kang Soo-yeon, who was a shining star of Korean cinema. I will not forget the legacy she left in the Korean film industry."[30]

Filmography

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Source:[31][32]


Film

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List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title
1976 I Confess
1977 Three Stars
1978 Where Is My Mother?
Good Bye, Sorrow!
A Chorus of Pigeons
1979 Blood Relations
A Letter from Heaven
1982 The Two Tomboys
1983 Promised Woman
1985 Whale Hunting 2
W's Tragedy
1987 Now, We are Going to Geneva
Potato
The Surrogate Woman
Mimi and Cheolsu's Youth Sketch
King Yonsan
Tohwa
1988 Miri, Mari, Uri, Duri
Karma
1989 Come Come Come Upward
Shock Continues Long
1990 All That Falls Has Wings
1991 Autumn Tempest
Berlin Report
Road to the Racetrack
1992 The Blue in You
1993 Western Avenue
That Woman, That Man
1994 Rosy Days
1995 Go Alone Like a Rhino's Horn
1996 Their Last Love Affair
1997 Black Jack
Deep Sorrow
1998 Girls' Night Out
1999 Rainbow Trout
2003 The Circle
2006 Hanbando
2007 With a Girl of Black Soil
2011 Hanji
2013 Juri
2023 Jung_E[33]

Television

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List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year(s) Title
1971 The Adventures of Ttolttol-yi
1979 Oseong and Haneum
1980 Jang Yeong-sil, the Wind Boy
1983–84 A High School Student's Diary
1985 Mother's Room
1986 TV Literary Theater
2001 Ladies of the Palace
2007 Moonhee

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1984 20th Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actress Diary of a High School Student Won
1987 26th Grand Bell Awards Best Actress Now, We are Going to Geneva Won
44th Venice International Film Festival Volpi Cup for Best Actress The Surrogate Woman Won
Asian Film Festival Best Actress Won
9th Three Continents Festival Best Actress Won
1989 27th Grand Bell Awards Come Come Come Upward Won
16th Moscow International Film Festival Won
9th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards Won
1990 10th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards All That Falls Has Wings Won
28th Grand Bell Awards Won
26th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress (Film) Won
11th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Leading Actress Nominated
1992 3rd Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Actress The Road to Racetrack Won
13th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Leading Actress Won
28th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress (Film) Won
1993 31st Grand Bell Awards Best Actress Blue in You Nominated
14th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Leading Actress Nominated
1994 30th Baeksang Arts Awards Most Popular Actress That Woman, That Man Won
15th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Leading Actress Rosy Days Nominated
1995 16th Blue Dragon Film Awards Go Alone Life a Rhino's Horn Nominated
1996 17th Blue Dragon Film Awards Their Last Love Affair Nominated
1997 18th Blue Dragon Film Awards Deep Blue Nominated
1999 20th Blue Dragon Film Awards Rainbow Trout Nominated
2000 36th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress (Film) Won
37th Grand Bell Awards Best Actress Nominated
2001 SBS Drama Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) Ladies of the Palace Won
Top 10 Stars Won
Grimae Awards Best Actress Won
2002 38th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress (TV) Nominated
2015 Women in Film Korea Festival Woman in Film of the Year — Won
2022 9th Korean Film Producers Association Award[34] Special achievement award Won

State honors

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Name of country, year given, and name of honor
Country Year Honor Or Award Ref.
South Korea[note 1] 2022 Order of Cultural Merit, 2nd Class [38]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Honors are given at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, arranged by the Korea Creative Content Agency and hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.[35][36] They are awarded to those who have contributed to the arts and South Korea's pop culture.[37]

References and notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b The film was released in South Korea in 1987; however, some may state the release year as 1986, presumably when it was filmed.
  1. ^ Jung, Joong-hun (September 20, 1987). ""방화 외국모방 벗어야한다" 베니스서 수상「씨받이」감독 임권택". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). p. 7. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022 – via Naver News Library.
  2. ^ Baek, Seung-chan (March 9, 2011). "강수연 "임권택 영화…시나리오도 나오기 전 출연 결정"". Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Kang, Chun-jin (May 8, 2022). "[도청도설] 월드스타 강수연". Kookje Shinmun. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  4. ^ Oh, Seung-hoon (May 8, 2022). "'할머니 배우' 꿈꾸던 월드스타 강수연, 하늘 무대로" [World star Kang Su-yeon dreamed of being a 'grandma actress', is heading towards the sky stage]. The Hankyoreh (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  5. ^ Kim, Hyung-seok. "영화배우 강수연". Navercast (in Korean). Naver Corporation. Archived from the original on May 6, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c koreanfilm.org Brief profile Archived December 15, 2018, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 9, 2007
  7. ^ koreanmovie.com Two World Stars Speak About Life, Acting Archived October 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 9, 2007
  8. ^ cinemaya.net Come, Come, Come Upward summary Archived May 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 9, 2007
  9. ^ Gombeaud, Adrien (February 23, 2001). "Kang Su-youn: An Interview". Koreanfilm.org. Archived from the original on March 3, 2001. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
  10. ^ "16th Moscow International Film Festival (1989)". MIFF. Archived from the original on March 16, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  11. ^ Kim, Byung-jae (January 16, 1990). "불꽃튀는 女優戰國(여우전국)시대 맞아". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). p. 20. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022 – via Naver News Library.
  12. ^ "17th Moscow International Film Festival (1991)". MIFF. Archived from the original on April 3, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  13. ^ koreanfilm.org Awards List in excel spreadsheet Archived March 8, 2018, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 10, 2007
  14. ^ cinemasie.com Baeksang Arts Awards Archived May 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 10, 2007
  15. ^ Busan International Film Festival Archive[permanent dead link‍] Retrieved on November 10, 2007
  16. ^ china.tour2korea.com Profile (Chinese)[permanent dead link‍] Retrieved on November 10, 2007
  17. ^ content.mbc.co.kr MoonHee TV Drama (English) Archived May 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 10, 2007
  18. ^ "The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea – Actress Kang Soo-yeon to Helm This Year's Busan Film Fest". The Chosun Ilbo. July 7, 2015. Archived from the original on August 15, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  19. ^ Hyo, Lee (July 6, 2015). "Busan: Icon Kang Soo-yeon Names Festival Co-Director". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 8, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  20. ^ Park, Sun-young (December 3, 2009). "New Im Kwon-taek film focuses on hanji". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  21. ^ Lee, Hyo-won (July 6, 2015). "South Korean Actress, National Icon Kang Soo-yeon Named Busan Festival Co-Director". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  22. ^ a b Kim, Bo-ram (May 7, 2022). "Film icon Kang Soo-youn dies at 55". Yonhap News Agency. Archived from the original on May 7, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  23. ^ Lee Myung-soo (July 7, 2021). "'월드 스타' 강수연, 영화 '정이'로 스크린 복귀한다" ['World Star' Kang Soo-yeon to return to the screen with the movie 'Jung-i']. Herald Economy (in Korean). Retrieved January 22, 2023 – via Naver.
  24. ^ Kang Ae-ran (May 7, 2022). "강수연 유작 '정이'에 관심…연상호 감독의 넷플릭스 SF 영화" [Interested in Kang Su-yeon's posthumous work 'Jungi'... Netflix sci-fi film directed by Yeon Sang-ho] (in Korean). Yunhap News. Retrieved January 22, 2023 – via Naver.
  25. ^ "'Jung_E' director, cast pay tribute to legendary actor Kang Soo-youn". The Korea Times. January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  26. ^ Song, Sang-ho (May 5, 2022). "(LEAD) Veteran actress Kang unconscious after cardiac arrest". Yonhap News Agency. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  27. ^ a b "Kang Soo-yeon remains in coma after cerebral hemorrhage". Dong-a Ilbo. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  28. ^ Kim Na-ra (May 7, 2022). "[속보] 강수연, 의식 불명 사흘만 별세…향년 56세" [[Breaking News] Kang Su-yeon, unconscious and passed away after three days... age 56] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022 – via Naver.
  29. ^ "Kang Soo-yeon, Veteran Korean Actor, Dies at 55". Variety. May 8, 2022.
  30. ^ Jung Yu-jin (May 7, 2022). "전주국제영화제 "故 강수연 영면 추모…유산 잊지 않겠다" [공식]" [Jeonju International Film Festival "Memorial of the late Kang Su-yeon... I will not forget the legacy"]. News 1 (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  31. ^ Cinespot.com Selected Filmography Archived March 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 9, 2007
  32. ^ asiandb.com Selected Filmography Archived March 14, 2022, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 9, 2007
  33. ^ Kim Myung-mi (July 6, 2021). "연상호 감독 '정이' 제작, 강수연-김현주-류경수 캐스팅(공식입장)" ["Director Yeon Sang-ho's 'Jeong-i' is produced, and Kang Su-yeon, Kim Hyeon-joo, and Ryu Kyung-soo are cast (official position)]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  34. ^ Kim Kyung-hee (December 5, 2022). "한국영화제작가협회상, 마동석-탕웨이 주연상, 이정재 감독상 수상" [Korean Film Producers Association Award, Ma Dong-seok-Tang Wei Best Actor Award, Lee Jung-jae Best Director Award]. iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved December 5, 2022 – via Naver.
  35. ^ Hicap, Jonathan (October 18, 2018). "BTS, Red Velvet win at Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on October 18, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  36. ^ Yeo, Yer-im (October 25, 2018). "BTS gets award upon their return home". Yonhap News Agency. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2021 – via Korea JoongAng Daily.
  37. ^ Lee, Sang-won (October 25, 2016). "Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards announces winners". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  38. ^ Park, Hae-shik (November 24, 2022). "강수연·박찬욱, 은관문화훈장 수훈…송강호·허영만은 보관문화훈장" [Kang Soo-yeon and Park Chan-wook, awarded with the Silver Crown Order of Cultural Merit... Song Kang-ho and Heo Young-man received the Order of Cultural Merit] (in Korean). Sports DongA. Retrieved November 24, 2022 – via Naver.
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