O Taeseok Obituary

O Taeseok was a South Korean playwright, theatre director and translator.

O Taeseok’s father, a politician, was kidnapped, causing him to stay with his grandmother to become a refugee, where he witnessed countless deaths.

He received a degree in philosophy from Yonsei University in 1963 and immediately threw himself into writing and directing.

O Taeseok is most well-known as a theatre director and playwright who is extremely adept at portraying Korean life and state of mind. His plays have many elements in common with traditional Korean plays.

On stage, the characters of his play do not carry on static, realistic conversations, but rather, engage in vibrant songs and dance or wear animal masks while dashing about on stage.