Yoh Suk-kee (a.k.a. Yeo Seok-ki,
Korean: 여석기; 6 March 1922 – 12 June 2014) was a
South Koreantheatre critic and Shakespeare
scholar. He was a founding member of The English Language and Literature Association of Korea (ELLAK).[1] He was appointed the Director of Korean Culture and Arts Foundation in 1988.[2] He received the
Medal of Honour in Civil Merit in 1972 and 1987, and the
Order of Cultural Merit in 1996, from the Korean government.[3] He died on 12 June, 2014.[1]
Yoh was a forerunner of theatre criticism in Korea.[1] In 1960, with other theatricians, such as Chi-jin Yoo, Yoh established Drama Center and trained young
playwrights to cultivate Korean theatre. For such a contribution, he was selected as a member of
National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Korea.[6] In 1970, as a
publisher and
editor, Yoh published the first issue of The Drama Review, the first technical
journal of theatre in Korea.[7] In commemoration of Yoh, the International Association of Theatre Critics-Korea bestows Yoh Suk-kee Theatre Critics Award each year.[8]
Shakespeare studies
Yoh was evaluated as the first scholar to encompass both literary and theatrical aspect of Shakespeare.[9] In 1962, he provided a translation of Hamlet for the Drama Centre first performance which is staged by the playwright Yoo Chi-jin.[10] In 1964, Yoh founded The Shakespeare Association of Korea.[9]