[비즈한국] Comedian-turned-entertainer Seo Seung-man has been appointed as the CEO of the Jeongdong Theater.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young appointed Mr. Seo as the CEO of the Jeongdong Theater Foundation on the 10th and presented him with the letter of appointment. Minister Choi stated, "I hope that, based on his accumulated field experience and promotional expertise, he will strengthen the role of the Jeongdong Theater on Jeongdong-gil as a tourism resource and play a key role in promoting excellent performances not only to domestic audiences but also to the world."
The new CEO, Seo Seung-man, debuted as a comedian after winning the grand prize at the 3rd MBC Gag Contest in 1989 and has since been active as a performing arts and content planner in broadcasting, directing, and theater management. He has directed works such as the madangnori performances 'Ondal-a Pyeonggang-a' and 'Ppaengpa-jeon', and the musicals 'Nono Story' and 'Tunnel'. He earned a bachelor's and master's degree in Theater, Film, and Video Media and a doctorate in Public Administration from Kookmin University, and has served as the CEO of the theater company Sangsang Nanum, CEO of the small theater Sangsang Nanum Theater, Chairman of the National Safety Culture Association, Public Relations Committee Chairman of the Korea Association of Public Management, and PR ambassador for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
He is considered one of the representative 'pro-Lee' celebrities, having publicly supported then-Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung in 2022. He ran as a proportional representative candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea in the April 10, 2024 general election but was not elected.
The Jeongdong Theater is a foundation established in 1997 for the production and performance of traditional Korean performing arts and domestic and international exchanges. Its philosophy is based on the restoration of Wongaksa, Korea's first modern theater. Recently, it has been contributing to the revitalization of tourism by presenting performances that represent downtown Seoul, based on the modern cultural heritage of Jeongdong-gil, including traditional plays, dramas, and musicals.
The term of office for the new CEO, Seo, is three years.