# Gil Hae-yeon

Gil Hae-yeon (Korean: 길해연) is a South Korean actress. She is best known to North American audiences for her performance in the film In Her Place, for which she garnered a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 3rd Canadian Screen Awards in 2015 and won the Wildflower Film Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 3rd Wildflower Film Awards in 2016.
In South Korea, her roles have included the television series Goodbye Mr. Black, Working Mom Parenting Daddy, Possessed, Something in the Rain, One Spring Night and Woman of 9.9 Billion. She is most active as a supporting actress, playing role of main characters' mothers.
Gil also writes children's plays and children's books. She has written over 10 children's books and children's play scripts. She also wrote 'Intensive for Children' based on her experience teaching children in a children's theater class.
In 2020, Gil took office as third Chairman of The Korea Theater Welfare Foundation which was established in 2005 to support theater practitioners so that they do not give up theater even in difficult circumstances and are guaranteed basic treatment. The first Chairman Park Jeong-ja and the second Chairman Yoon Seok-hwa.

## Early life and education

Gil Hae-yeon was born in Paju, Gyeonggi Province on April 11, 1964 and raised in Seoul. She showed her writing talent from a young age and won many awards in elementary school. She attended Pungmoon Girls' High School, where she took literature class because of her dream of becoming a writer. During high school, she watched Jean-Paul Sartre's play The Dead without burial [fr], that elevated her awareness of the charm of theatre. Still, She never dreamed of acting.
In 1983, She enrolled in the Korean Literature Department at Dongduk Women's University. When she was a freshman, she chose bowling for her physical education class. She also joined a theater club. Her senior in the theater class asked her to come.

## Career

In 1986, during her fourth year of college, she co-founded the theater company 'Little Shinhwa' with friends from around ten university drama clubs, including Sogang University, Chung-Ang University, and Kookmin University. It marked the beginning of her career in theater. They created a theater company with the idea of just doing it for 10 years.
The theater company's motto is "With the Heart of Sprinkling a Lantern of Water in the Desert!". Gil serves as the vice president of 'Little Shinhwa.' One notable work by 'Little Shinhwa' is the play 'New Year's Day,' which premiered at the Dongsung Arts Center in 2001. 'New Year's Day' achieved significant recognition, winning the 10th Daesan Literary Award in the play category upon its premiere. It was also selected as one of the BEST3 plays by the Korea Theater Critics Association in 2001 and received the Best Picture, Best Directing (Choi Yong-hoon), and Acting Award (Hong Seong-kyung) at the 2002 Donga Theater Awards.
After graduating, she also became an acting lecturer. Since the early 1990s, she has been working with children through children's theater classes.
She made her film debut in 2003 with the film If You Were Me.
She was featured as DongA Theatre Princess of the Month in December 2010. The 47th Donga Theater Awards took place on January 24, 2011, at the Grand Theater of Daehakro Arts Theater in Daehakro, Seoul. Actress Gil Hae-yeon, known for her role in "Here Comes Love" (written by Bae Bong-gi and directed by Shim Jae-chan), received the acting award at the ceremony.
In 2011, Gil Hae-yeon was honored with the 'Theater of the Year Award' at the '16th Hiseo Theater Awards'. The awards ceremony took place on December 30 on the 3rd floor of Arko Arts Theater. This year, Gil Hae-yeon appeared in encore such as "Here Comes Love", 'Dream within a Dream', and 'New Year's Day', and was praised for creating a deeper character than when she first performed.
She made her TV debut in 2012 through director Ahn Pan-seok's series How Long I've Kissed. In the series, she portrayed the character Ha Seom-jin, a Korean-Chinese domestic helper. Her realistic acting in the role received praise, as she convincingly portrayed a native Yanbian. After that, her collaboration with Director Ahn continued. In the following years, she worked on one drama each year, including "The End of the World," "Secret Affair," and "Heard It Through the Grapevine.
In 2013, She joins forces with Lee Ho-jae and Kim Young-pil (Theater Company Alleyway) in the Strindberg's play Creditors. which commences on the 10th at the small theater of Arko Arts Theater in Daehakro. The Creditors is a poignant work reflecting the writer's personal experience of an unhappy marriage and his misogynistic beliefs. This tragicomedy follows Gustav (portrayed by Lee Ho-jae), a scholarly ex-husband who seeks revenge against his unfaithful wife, Thekla, and her new husband, the painter Adolf (played by Kim Young-pil), employing his cunning wit and eloquence. The play has been translated by Seong Su-jeong and embellished by Dong Lee-hyang.
Gil made her mark in 2015 when she appeared in director Ahn Pan-seok's drama Heard It Through the Grapevine. Her role as Yang Jae-hwa, the secretary to Han Jeong-ho (played by Yoo Jun-sang), resonated with viewers and left a lasting impression.
She left a deep impression by portraying the roles of Son Ye-jin and Han Ji-min's mother in director Ahn Pan-seok's dramas "Something in the Rain" and "Spring Night," respectively. In "Something in the Rain," she portrayed a snobbish and obnoxious villain, while in "Spring Night," she exhibited respect for her daughters' decisions, showcasing a contrasting character portrayal.
In 2023, Gil was cast in director Bae Doo-ri's independent film "Dolphin" alongside Kwon Yuri. Since its premiere at the Jeonju International Film Festival, the film has garnered attention as it was invited to prominent domestic and international film festivals, including the Seoul Independent Film Festival, the Muju Mountain Film Festival, and the Vancouver Asian Film Festival in Canada.

## Personal life

Gil married Cho Won-ho, a fellow founding member of the theater group Little Shinhwa, and they had a son. Unfortunately, Gil's husband suddenly passed away in 2007 due to a myocardial infarction. She became a single mother to her son, who was still in middle school and dealing with an illness. She remained busy with five or six theater appearances, working as a college lecturer, and conducting acting lessons every year. As a result, she earned the nickname "Guillery," a portmanteau of her surname and "Hillary." This nickname reflected the perception that she was even busier than Hillary Clinton.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2003 | If You Were Me | Jeong-hyeon | |
| 2005 | Mapado | woman from Jeju | |
| 2005 | Flowering Day | Hee-jung | (short film) |
| 2005 | Friendly and Harmonious | | (educational film) |
| 2005 | The Intimate | art factory manager | |
| 2006 | Art of Fighting | Yeong-ae's mother | |
| 2007 | Mapado 2 | woman from Jeju | |
| 2007 | The Elephant on the Bike | Dong-gyu's mother | |
| 2007 | Seven Days | hospital director | |
| 2007 | I Need Some Sleep | mother | |
| 2008 | Living Together, Happy Together | Gyeong-mi | |
| 2008 | Baby and I | Ki-seok's mother | |
| 2009 | Breathless | Yeon-hee's mother | |
| 2009 | The Pot | Missionary Jang | |
| 2009 | Fortune Salon | Seung-won's sister-in-law | |
| 2011 | Late Blossom | Kun-bong's daughter-in-law | |
| 2011 | Re-encounter | Han-soo's mother | |
| 2011 | Meet the In-Laws | housekeeper | (special appearance) |
| 2012 | Choked | Hee-soo | |
| 2012 | Don't Cry Mommy | nun | |
| 2013 | Pluto | Joon's mother | |
| 2013 | If You Were Me 6 | mother | |
| 2013 | Ingtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls | Tae-Sik's mother | |
| 2014 | Cart | Real customer | (special appearance) |
| 2014 | Our Older Sister | Bolero | (special appearance) |
| 2014 | In Her Place | mother | |
| 2015 | Granny’s Got Talent | housemaid | (special appearance) |
| 2016 | Insane | Kang Soo-ah's mother | |
| 2016 | Missing | Ji-sun's mother-in-law | |
| 2017 | The Mimic | Kim Moo-nyeo | |
| 2017 | Memoir of a Murderer | Maria | |
| 2017 | The First Lap | Soo-hyun's mother | |
| 2019 | Mate | Geum-hee | |
| 2019 | Inseparable Bros | Jung-soon | |
| 2019 | Long Live The King | Choon-taek's mother | (special appearance) |
| 2019 | House of Hummingbird | Young-ji's mother | |
| 2021 | Midnight | Kyung-mi's mother | |
| 2023 | Unlocked | Je-yeon | |
| 2024 | Dolphin | Jeong-ok | |
| 2024 | About Family | Mother superior | |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2012 | How Long I've Kissed | Ha Sum-jin | |
| 2013 | The End of the World | Jung Sang-sook | |
| 2014 | Secret Affair | Ms. Baek | |
| 2014 | Doctor Stranger | Kim Eun-hee (Oh Soo-hyun's mother) | |
| 2015 | Miss Mamma Mia | Ma Hae-yeon | |
| 2015 | Heard It Through the Grapevine | Yang Jae-hwa | |
| 2015 | Assembly | Chun No-shim | |
| 2015 | Cheer Up! | Director Lee | |
| 2015 | Riders: Catch Tomorrow | Bae Mi-Sun | |
| 2016 | Puck! | Gyeong-pil's mother | |
| 2016 | Moorim School: Saga of the Brave | Gye Mi-sook | (special appearance) |
| 2016 | Yeah, That's How It Is | So-hyang | |
| 2016 | Babysitter | Yoo Sang-won's mother | |
| 2016 | Goodbye Mr. Black | Hong In-ja | |
| 2016 | Working Mom Parenting Daddy | Lee Hae-soon | |
| 2016 | My Fair Lady | Kim Young-ji | |
| 2017 | Naked Fireman | Jeong-soon | |
| 2017 | Queen of Mystery | murderer | (special appearance) |
| 2017 | Hospital Ship | Hwang In-kyung's mother | (special appearance) |
| 2017 | The Most Beautiful Goodbye | Dr. Yoon | |
| 2017 | Two Cops | nun | |
| 2018 | Something in the Rain | Kim Mi-yeon (Jin-ah's mother) | |
| 2018 | What's Wrong with Secretary Kim | woman at parking | (special appearance) |
| 2018 | The Ghost Detective | Hwang Young-hee | |
| 2018 | Too Bright for Romance | Pil-yong's mother | KBS Drama Special (special appearance) |
| 2018 | Matrimonial Chaos | Jin Yoo-young's mother | (special appearance) |
| 2018 | Encounter | Teacher Lee (Tea house) | |
| 2019 | Possessed | Shin Geum-jo (Seo-jung's mother) | |
| 2019 | My Fellow Citizens! | Kim Kyung-ae (Sang-jin's mother) | |
| 2019 | One Spring Night | Shin Hyeong-seon (Jeong-in's mother) | |
| 2019 | Melting Me Softly | Yoo Hyang-ja (Mi-ran's mother) | |
| 2019 | Woman of 9.9 Billion | Jang Geum-ja | |
| 2020 | Find Me in Your Memory | Seo Mi-hyun | |
| 2020 | Do You Like Brahms? | Song Jeong-hee | |
| 2021 | Beyond Evil | Do Hae-won | |
| 2021 | Law School | Oh Jung-Hee | |
| 2021 | Voice | Gam Jong-suk | Season 4 |
| 2021 | Drama Special – Scenery of Pain | old woman | |
| 2022 | Cleaning Up | Bo-ran | |
| 2022 | If You Wish Upon Me | Choi Deok-ja | |
| 2022 | Mental Coach Jegal | Shim Bok-ja | |
| 2023 | Strangers Again | Hong Yeo-rae | |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2021 | You Me Up | Do Yong-shik's mother | Cameo |
| 2021 | The Silent Sea | Director Choi | |
| 2023 | One Day Off | Koo Young-sook | Cameo |

## Theater

Theater plays performances :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| 1994 | Nostalgic Antoine | 그리운 앙뜨완느 | | theater in Hyehwa-dong 1, Daehak-ro | September 1–6 | |
| 1995 | Magic Eye. Scream! | 매직 아이.스크림! | | Batangol Small Theater | April 14–May 28 | |
| 2001 | New Year's Day | 돐날 | Jeong-suk | Small theater at Daehak-ro Arts Center, Seoul | April 12–25 | |
| 2002 | Onion | 양파 | Mother | Daehak-ro Batanggol Small Theater | April 4–28 | |
| 2002 | The Kingdom of Things | 사물의 왕국 | | National Theater’s Daoreum Theater | June 6–9 | |
| 2002 | Ahjumma in Room 405 | 405호 아줌마는 | Ahjumma | Dongsung Arts Center Small Theater in Daehakro | September 13 | |
| 2003 | Oxygen | 산소 | Mrs Priestley /Rosenbiysk | Small Theater of the Arts Theater of the Arts Promotion Agency | April 3–20 | |
| 2003 | New Year's Day | 돐날 | Jeong-suk | Batanggol Theater in Seoul | May 8–June 1 | |
| 2003 | Wart | 사마귀 | | U Theater in Cheongdam-dong | July 8 to August 3 | |
| 2003 | Mom Discovered the Sea When She Was Fifty | 엄마는 오십에 바다를 발견했다 | Daughter | Sanullim Small Theater | Sep 25–Nov 23 | |
| 2003 | Cactus | 선인장 | Female | Cultural Arts Foundation’s Hakjeon Blue Stage | December 22–30 | |
| 2004 | Equus | 에쿠우스 | Dora Strang | Dongsung Art Centre Dongsung Hall | January 29–February 1 | |
| 2004 | Equus | 에쿠우스 | Dora Strang | Dongsung Art Centre Dongsung Hall | February 2–March 7 | |
| 2005 | Equus | 에쿠우스 | Dora Strang | Hakjeon Blue Small Theater | September 9–October 30 | |
| 2005 | Getting Out | 게팅 아웃 | | Hakjeon Blue Theater | May 4–22 | |
| 2006 | Macbeth, The Show | 맥베드, The Show | Lady Macbeth | Seoul Arts Center's Towol Theater | May 28–June 7 | |
| 2007 | Fish Festival | 물고기 축제 | mother | Arungu Small Theater in Daehakro | May 24–June 17 | |
| 2008 | I Live Because of You | 너 때문에 산다 | Gok-nyeo | Semo Theater at Daehakro Sado Art Center | January 3 to 20 | |
| 2008 | Dream Within a Dream | 꿈속의 꿈 | Bo-hee | Arko Arts Theatre Small Theatre | April 30–May 2 | |
| 2008 | Aloes Wood | 침향 | Ae-sook | Arko Arts Theatre Grand Theatre | June 11–29 | |
| 2008 | The Remains of the House | 남은 집 | Pilgrimage | Guerrilla Theater | August 14–September 14 | |
| 2008 | Tenant | 임차인 | | Jeongbo Small Theater | October 17 to November 9 | |
| 2008 | Human Time | 인간의 시간 | Park Tae-hyeong | Arko Arts Theater Grand Theater | December 19–27 | |
| 2009 | Dear Yelena Sergeyevna | 존경하는 엘레나 선생님 | Yelena Sergeyevna | Arko Arts Theater Small Theater in Daehakro | March 12–29 | |
| 2009 | Oxygen | 산소 | Mrs Priestley /Rosenbiysk | Doosan Art Center Space 111 | May 5–10 | |
| 2009 | Sisters | 언니들 | Sister | Dongsung Arts Center Small Theater | December 2–13 | |
| 2010 | Even If They Betray You | 그대를 속일지라도 | | Arko Arts Theater Grand Theater | June 18–27 | |
| 2010 | 33 Variations | 33개의 변주곡 | Gertrude | Dongsung Hall of Dongsung Art Center in Daehakro | October 15 | |
| 2010 | Love is Coming | 사랑이 온다 | wife | Sogang University Mary Hall Grand Theater | December 1–5 | |
| 2011 | New Year's Day | 돐날 | Gyeongju | Daehakro Art One Theater Hall 2 | June 3–July 10 | |
| 2012 | I Miss Your Parents' Faces | 니 부모 얼굴이 보고 싶다 | Nam Yoon-jung's mom | Sejong Center for the Performing Arts M Theater | June 24–July 29 | |
| 2013 | Creditors | 채권자들 | Tekla | Arko Arts Theater Small Theater | May 10–26 | |
| 2013 | The Women Who Stole a Battlefield | 전쟁터를 훔친 여인들 | Madge | National Theater Company, Baek Baek-hee Jang Min-ho Theater | November 27–December 8 | |
| 2014 | Spring Days Gone | 봄날은 간다 | | Daehakro Art Space Seoul | July 16–20 | |
| 2014 | Shadow Child | 그림자 아이 | mother | National Theatre Baek Sung-hee Jang Min-ho Theatre | October 24–November 2 | |
| 2014 | Great Legacy | 위대한 유산 | Habisham | Myeongdong Arts Theatre | December 3 to 28 | |
| 2015 | Monroe Mom | 먼로, 엄마 | Mi-jin | Daehakro Petitchel Theater | January 22–February 8 | |
| 2018 | Misery | 미저리 | Annie Wilkes | Doosan Art Center Yeongang Hall | February 9–April 15 | |
| 2019 | Misery | 미저리 | Annie Wilkes | Sejong Center for the Performing Arts M Theater | July 13–September 15 | |
| 2019 | Misery | 미저리 | Annie Wilkes | Contemporary Art Museum Main Performance Hall, Ulsan | October 4–5 | |
| 2019 | Misery | 미저리 | Annie Wilkes | Dream Theater, Busan | October 11–13 | |
| 2019 | Misery | 미저리 | Annie Wilkes | Guri Art Hall Cosmos Grand Theater | November 8–9 | |
| 2022 | Hamlet | 햄릿 | Actor 2 | National Theater Haeoreum Theater | July 13–August 13 | |
| 2022–2023 | Misery | 미저리 | Annie Wilkes | Sejong Center for the Performing Arts M Theater | December 24–February 5 | |

## Awards and nominations

List of Award(s) and Nomination(s) :
| Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
| 2002 | Seoul Performing Arts Festival | Best Actress | Gil Ha-yeon Changpa Theater Company | Won |
| 2008 | 29th Seoul Theater Festival | Best Actress | Dream Within a Dream | Won |
| 2008 | Korea Theater Awards | Best Actress | Gil Ha-yeon | Won |
| 2010 | 47th Donga Theater Awards | Best Acting Award | Love is Coming | Won |
| 2011 | 16th Hiseo Theater Awards | Actor of the Year | Gil Ha-yeon | Won |
| 2011 | Shenzhen Film Festival | Best Actress | Gil Ha-yeon | Won |
| 2015 | APAN Star Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Heard It Through the Grapevine | Won |
| 2015 | 25th Lee Hae-rang Theater Award | Best Actress | Gil Ha-yeon | Won |
| 2016 | 3rd Wildflower Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | In Her Place | Won |