Son Jae-o named artistic director of Seoul Arts Company as troupe marks 40th anniversary

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Thursday appointed Son Jae-o, 62, chairman of the Korea Madangguk Association, as head and artistic director of the Seoul Arts Company. His term will run three years.

Son studied Korean literature at Jeonju University before earning master's and doctoral degrees in arts, culture and visual media at Pusan National University. A veteran stage director with decades of hands-on experience, he has served as chairman of the Korea Madangguk Association and artistic director of theater company Gaetdol, building a distinctive artistic vision across madangguk (outdoor folk theater), changgeuk (Korean operatic drama) and gugak musicals.

Son has also elevated regional culture through his leadership of the Mokpo World Madangguk Festival and the Sinan International Moon Festa. His total theater production "Jasmine Gwangju" earned a five-star rating — the highest possible — at the Edinburgh Festival in 2011, demonstrating that Korean traditional performing arts can compete in the global market.

The ministry said it expects Son's deep practical experience to serve as a catalyst for expanding the Seoul Arts Company's signature genre of Korean-style original musical drama. Founded in 1986 as the "88 Seoul Arts Company," the troupe has been the only national performing arts organization dedicated to producing and staging Korea's own tradition of song-and-dance theater.

Culture Minister Choi Hwi-yeong said she hopes the appointment will mark a new turning point for the Seoul Arts Company, built on Son's "outstanding field experience and artistic expertise."