Kang Hyo-shil


Kang Hyo-shil was a South Korean film and stage actress.

Biography

Kang was born in Pyongyang in 1932, now the capital of North Korea. Kang's father was Kang Hong-shik, a noted singer, and actor during the Japanese occupation period of Korea and Jeon Ok, a noted actor known as "Queen of Tears" for Jeon's excellent acting as tragic heroines that evoked audiences to tears. Kang had a sister who later became a famous actress of North Korea after their parents divorced and went across to North Korea with her father.
Kang graduated from Pyongyang Jeoil High School. As having watched her mother's acting, and trained by her mother, Kang was strongly influenced by Jeon Ok. In addition, Kang was more active on stage than in film, so she was referred to as a "characteristic actress" during her lifetime. While Kang debuted with a play performed at Pyongyang National Theatre in 1946 when 17 years old, she earnestly started her career as entered Theatre Sinhyeop. During the performances produced by the Performing Arts Research Association, Kang met her future husband, Choi Moo-ryong, who later became a popular film actor of the 1960s and 1970s. When at the 21 years old in Korean age, Kang married Choi despite her mother's opposition. The couple debuted as film actors by starring in Kim Ki-young's 1955 film, Box of Death. Kang used a stage name, Jeon Jin-hui for the film.
Kang and Choi Moo-ryong had one son and four daughters including an actor, Choi Min-soo. However, Choi had an affair with Kim Ji-mee, the best popular actress at that time, so that the marriage broke off in 1962 after trials for the adultery charge and divorce. Choi soon married Kim Ji-mee but also divorced Kim after 6 years of marriage due to his debts.
Kang died of a chronic disease on 2 November 1996 and her body is buried in Cheonan, Gyeonggi province.

Filmography

English titleKorean titleRomanizationYearRoleDirector
The Marriage Life Gyeolhon-i-yagi1992
The Early YearsChobun1977
Towards The High PlaceJeo nop-eun gos-eul hyangha-yeo1977
2nights 3days2bag 3il1974
When Night Falls at MyeongdongMyeongdong-e Bam-i Omyeon1964
Oh! My HometownO Nae Gohyang1959
Early SpringJochun1959
A Necklace of ReminiscenceChueogui Mokgeori1959
The Box of DeathJugeom-ui sangja1955

Awards