(LEAD) Yoon Seok-hwa, leading figure in theater world, dies at 69 - Yonhap News Agency

SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Yonhap) -- Renowned stage actress Yoon Seok-hwa, whose influence goes behind the scenes in theater, died following her battle with a brain tumor. She was 69.

The veteran actress passed away at 9:54 a.m. at a hospital surrounded by her family and friends.

She had undergone surgery for a malignant brain tumor in October 2022. Her final stage appearance came in August 2023, when she made a five-minute guest appearance in the play "Toccata."

Stage actress Yoon Seok-hwa performs during a press conference for "Letters to My Daughter" in Seoul, in this file photo taken May 16, 2019. (Yonhap)

Born in Seoul in 1956, Yoon made her debut in a 1975 play, "Honey Taste."

She gained wide recognition in the theater world with her performance in the sold-out "Agnes of God," which set a record as the longest-running play in Korean theater at that time, catapulting her to stardom.

She went on to become almost indispensable in the stage community, appearing in a series of hit productions, including "Letters to My Daughter," "Princess Deokhye" and "Hamlet."

She also expanded her footprint into musicals, playing the first-generation title role in "The Last Empress," which remains a popular musical until now, as well as "Guys and Dolls" and "Master Class."

Her contributions to Korean theater earned her widespread recognition. She received the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress four times and the Korean Culture and Arts Award in the theater and dance category in 2009, among others.

Beyond acting, she expanded her career to include work as a producer, director and magazine publisher, and also appeared in films.

Outside her professional career, she was active in raising public awareness of adoption after adopting her son and daughter in 2003 and 2007, respectively.

In a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency, she expressed her undying passion for the stage, saying she still visited theaters to watch hourslong plays in the middle of her battle with illness so that she could "get back to the stage."

She is survived by her husband, son and daughter.

The file photo, taken Oct. 24, 2017, shows stage actress Yoon Seok-hwa. (Yonhap)