Former culture minister Kim Myung-gon has published an autobiography, elaborating on his various experiences with the arts and government. His most recent artistic endeavor was producing “Endless Voyage,” an upcoming performance mixing ballet and traditional Korean dance.
Kim is a renowned ‘pansori’ (traditional Korean opera) performer, actor and producer as well as former president of the National Theater of Korea. The late former President Roh Moo-hyun appointed him culture minister in 2006.
But Kim is still mostly known for his role in the film “Seopyeonje” by filmmaker Im Kwon-taek in the early 1990s. Kim also wrote the scenario for the film.
“I have done a lot of work in theater and in film since then, but they are mostly overshadowed by the role I played in ’Seopyeonje.’ The character of Yu-bong and I shared the same sense of alienation, pain and failures as pansori artists, so it was a role that I could completely sympathize with,” he said.
He recollects his ties with the administrations of Roh and the late Kim Dae-jung, both of whom were ardent patrons of the arts with a keen in interest in traditional Korean culture.
During Kim Dae-jung’s presidency, Kim led the National Theater of Korea and the former President and his wife Lee Hee-ho attended performances there. Kim calls the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient “a president with astonishing cultural knowledge and the best audience member I have ever met.”