Professor Yoon Hansol Wins Best Work and Best Direction at the 62^nd Donga Theater Awards

Yoon Hansol, a professor in the Department of Directing at the School of Drama, received both Best Work and Best Direction at the 62nd Donga Theater Awards for his play Anthropolis I: Prolog, Dionysos, staged by the National Theater Company of Korea.

Yoon’s Anthropolis I claimed three awards in total, including the Performing Arts Award granted to makeup designer Paik Jiyeong. The play unfolds as both a prologue to the founding of the Royal House of Thebes and a retelling of the myth of Dionysos – a figure born of Zeus and a mortal woman – who punishes those who deny his divinity.

The production was praised for reinterpreting ancient Greek mythology, first adapted in a German production, and reframing it through contemporary Korean society with a cynical yet reflective tone. Critics commended its multifocal staging that intertwined simultaneous events, intensifying dramatic tension despite the work’s grand scale, and noted that Paik’s makeup design beautifully bridged the mythical and modern.

Reflecting on the recognition, Yoon shared, “This award is especially meaningful because so many staff members and actors have dedicated themselves to this production over such a long time. I hope audiences, while watching this play, step out of their comfort zones and turn their attention to the people and events often overlooked in daily life.” He added, “I felt our times called for a real tragedy – one without the promise of redemption or forgiveness. If tragedy arises from a fault left unsolved, I wanted to explore its wholeness on stage.”

Since his debut production, I’m Happy (2008), Yoon Hansol has been known for works that tackle social issues through imaginative and bold storytelling, such as Hwal Hwa San (2024) and Chronicles of Extras (2023). As executive director of the theater company Green Pig, he continues to develop a distinctive theatrical style that blends quirky humor, kitsch aesthetics, and sharp social commentary.