Yeo Woon-kay (Korean여운계; February 25, 1940 – May 22, 2009) was a South Korean actress and television personality. She was best known for Korean films such as War of Money, Bad Family and My Lovely Sam Soon.[1]

Yeo Woon-kay
Born(1940-02-25)February 25, 1940
DiedMay 22, 2009(2009-05-22) (aged 69)
EducationKorea University
OccupationActress
Years active1958–2009
Korean name
Hangul
여운계
Hanja
呂運計
Revised RomanizationYeo Ungye
McCune–ReischauerYŏ Un'gye

Yeo began acting while in high school. She continued to act while attending Korea University, where she studied literature.[2] She became known for her work in Daehakgeuk, which is also called the amateur student theater, during the 1950s and 1960s, alongside other contemporary Korean actors like Lee Soon-jae.[2][3]

She made her professional theater debut with a theater troupe in 1962.[2] From theater, she was able to transition to a successful television career.[2] She often played the role of a grandmother or "grandmotherly figure".[2] Examples of these characters included her roles in Toji in 1986 and Jewel in the Palace in 2003.[2]

Ms. Yeo was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2007 while shooting the SBS TV series The King and I.[2] But she continued to act and began work on the KBS2 production of Love and Obsession,[2] eventually quitting the production due to pneumonia, indicating the spread of cancer to her lungs.[2]

Yeo entered the hospital intensive care unit in May 2009.[2] Reports say that she fell into a coma and was placed on life support.[2] She died around 8 P.M. on May 22, 2009, at the Incheon Catholic Medical Center in Incheon, South Korea, at the age of 69. Her funeral was held at the Severance Hospital.[2][4]

Yeo was awarded the Life Achievement Award posthumously at the KBS Drama Awards in 2009.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role
1972 The Pollen Flower
1980 Vicious Woman Mother-in-Law
The Wooden Horse That Went to Sea
1982 Late Autumn The Warden
1985 Cabbage in a Pepper Field
1988 Last Dancing
1991 The Pinwheel that Spins Alone Grandmother
1992 From the Seom River to the Sky Jae-in's Mother
2002 The Beauty in Dream Grandmother
2005 Mapado Mrs. Chairman Hoe Jang
2006 Family Matters
2007 Mapado 2: Back to the Island Mrs. Chairman Hoe Jang
Sorrow Even Up in Heaven

Television series

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Year Title Role Network
1983 Eun-ha's Dream KBS1
Youth March KBS2
1987 Door of Desires
Land Ham Ahn-daek KBS1
1988 The Winter That Year Was Warm KBS2
1991 What's Love? Jin Soo MBC
1993 Stormy Season Choong-in's Mother
1994 The Moon of Seoul Sang-gook's Grandmother
My Son's Woman Moon Jung-ok
1995 LA Arirang SBS
1996 1.5 Generation MBC
Dad is the Boss SBS
1997 Because I Love You Ae-kyung's grandmother
1998 I Love You, I Love You Bong-sook's Mother
The King and the Queen Former Internal Princess Consort Shin KBS1
Seven Brides Na Gap-sun SBS
1999 Trap of Youth Yun-hee's Grandmother
2000 Foolish Love Sang-woo's mother KBS2
More Than Words Can Say Lee Jin-jin KBS1
2001 Stock Flower
I Want To See Your Face Song Kil-ja MBC
Like Father, Like Son Jum Soon KBS2
2002 Who's My Love? Duk-bae's wife
Golden Wagon Ahn Gap-jin MBC
Drama City:
"Like Vienna Coffee"
KBS2
Sunrise House Kim Soon-nyeo SBS
2003 Drama City:
"Chief of Five Zoom"
KBS2
On the Prairie Charman Shin's Grandmother
Swan Lake Myung Soon-keum MBC
Jewel in the Palace Court Lady Jung Mal-geum
2004 Ms. Kim's Million Dollar Quest Lee Kkeut-soon SBS
Oh Feel Young Chairwoman Shin KBS2
2005 Bad Housewife No Jin-ye SBS
My Lovely Sam Soon Manager Ms. Oh MBC
Sisters of the Sea Cho Han-bin
2006 Bad Family Park Bok-nyu SBS
How Much Love? Dong-soo's Grandmother MBC
My Lovely Fool Dong-joo's Grandmother SBS
2007 Hello! Miss Lee Hak KBS2
War of Money Madam Bong SBS
Daughters-in-Law Suh Ong-sim KBS2
The King and I SBS
2008 Why Did You Come to My House? Gong Ok-ja
2009 Love and Obsession Madame Byeon KBS2

References

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  1. ^ "S.Korea Mourns the Death of Veteran Actress and Ex-President". Allkpop. 2009-05-23. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Actress Yeo Woon-gae, 69, Dies of Lung Cancer". Korea Times. 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  3. ^ "'대장금 큰상궁' 탤런트 여운계씨 별세…폐암 투병끝 69세로". 23 May 2009.
  4. ^ "고(故) 여운계, 그녀는 누구인가". 2009-05-22.
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