My name is pronounced like sun in the sky + letter J.

Picture

​

I am a theatre director, sometimes writer & other things.  I'm originally from Seoul, South Korea. I now mostly live and work in New York City while searching for opportunities across America and the world. I collaboratively create narrative-driven theater that is maximalist, kaleidoscopic, epic and political as well as intimate, personal and emotional. As a leader of artistic processes, I am committed to radical inclusion and progressivism. Drawing inspiration from my liminal cultural position between South Korea and America, I seek and make up stories that fall outside presumed societal narratives.



photo by Walls Trimble

Directing:

  • Mother of Exiles by Jessica Huang. July 2020 (virtual reading) 
  • Crash/Play for Your Bedroom by Zhu Yi. June 2020 (virtual reading) 
  • The Universe is a Small Hat by César Alvarez. Princeton University. April 2020 (co-director) 
  • Sister Mok-Rahn by by Eunsung Kim, translated by Dayoung Jeong. English Language Premiere at Princeton University. February 2020
  • Hot Asian Doctor Husband by Leah Nanako Winkler. World Premiere at Theatre Mu. July 2019 
  • Seagulls, adapted by Seonjae Kim from The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, 2050 Fellow Work Sharing at New York Theatre Workshop, May 2019 (reading)
  • First Love by Charles Mee. DirectorFest with the Drama League of New York. January 2019 
  • Love of My Life by Seonjae Kim. Starr Reading Series at Bushwick Starr, December 2018 (reading) 
  • The Golden Spike by Don Nguyen and The Lobbyists. Playwrights Realm, December 2018 (reading)
  • This Party Sucks by Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, original music by Hannah Fairchild and Jacob Brandt. 2050 Fellow Work Sharing at New York Theatre Workshop, December 2018 (staged reading) 
  • Trojan Women by Euripides, translated by Emily Wilson. University of the Arts, Philadelphia. November 2018
  • Hot Asian Doctor Husband by Leah Nanako Winkler. Theatre Mu. October 2018 (closed reading) 
  • Riot Antigone by Seonjae Kim & collaborators
    • Ars Nova ANT Fest. June 2017
    • First Floor Theatre at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. February 2017 
    • Prelude Festival. October 2017
    • Bryn Mawr College Mainstage. November 2017 
  • The Technicians by Justine Gelfman. G45 Productions. July 2018 (staged reading) 
  • Love You Long Time created by Seonjae Kim and Scarlett Kim. Valley College, Los Angeles. August 2018 (workshop performance)
  • The Way created by Seonjae Kim and Brandon Powers. Co-dir Brandon Powers.
    • 92nd Street Y. March 2018 (workshop performance) 
    • 999 Festival. May 2018 (workshop performance) 
  • The Architecture of Rain by Stefani Kuo. Checkmark Theatre Company. March 2018 (staged reading)  
  • Sister by Natalie C. Houchins. March 2018 (workshop performance)
  • Oswald by Tony LePage and Josh Sassanella. New work series at New York Theatre Barn. December 2017 (staged reading) 
  • Legs by Leah Nanako Winkler. Asian American Mixfest at Atlantic Theatre Company. August 2017 (staged reading) 
  • Indira & Condoleeza by Rajiv Joseph. Asian American Mixfest at Atlantic Theatre Company. August 2017 (staged reading) 
  • Nice Nails by Aaron Ricciardi. July 2017 (reading) 
  • ​What Women Need: A Fundraiser for Planned Parenthood. Selections by Jacklyn Backhaus, Boo Killebrew, Jenny Rachel Weiner, Dipika Guha, Sofya Weitz, Shakina Nayfack, Cate Yu, Alena Smith, Baryshnikov Arts Center. June 2017 
  • Sister Mok-Rahn by Eunsung Kim, translated by Dayoung Jeong, PEN/World Voices Festival. May 2017 (staged reading) 
  • Surplus Novel by Seonjae Kim and Scarlett Kim, adapted from Dictee by Theresa Hak Kyoung Ja, La MaMa Umbria Next Generation Residency (workshop) 
  • You're Amazing!!! by Leah Nanako Winkler, Williamstown Theatre Festival. June 2016 
  • That Noise by Dominic Finocchiaro, Williamstown Theatre Festival. June 2016 
  • Ella Maythorne by Anna Baryshnikov 
    • Dixon Place, February 2016 (co-dir. Brandon Powers) 
    • Williamstown Theatre Festival, August 2016 (workshop) 
    • Baryshnikov Arts Center, October 2016 (staged reading) 
  • Leftovers by Tomas Nieober, TinyRhino. Sept 2016
  • ​A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, Rabid Bat Theatricals at Moody's Pub, Chicago, IL. August 2014 (co-dir. Sammy Zeisel) 
  • Cloud 9 by Caryl Churchill, Sit & Spin Productions at Northwestern University. February 2014 
  • kids by Seonjae Kim and Sammy Zeisel, adapted from Just Kids by Patti Smith, WAVE Productions at Northwestern University. September 2013
  • Kafka on the Shore by Frank Galati adapted from the novel by Haruki Murakami, Sit & Spin Productions at Northwestern University. December 2012
  • Moksori/Voice by Seonjae Kim and Scarlett Kim, Chicago Fringe Festival. September 2012 
  • A Perfect Wedding by Charles Mee, Sit & Spin Productions at Northwestern University, February 2012 
  • Not I by Samuel Beckett, Concord Academy. May 2010
  • Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, Concord Academy. April 2010
  • Tea by Velina Hasu Houston, Concord Academy. April 2009 

Assistant/Associate Directing: 

  • KPOP by Jason Kim, Helen Park and Max Vernon, Pre-Broadway Workshops, dir. Teddy Bergman. 2019-2020 (Associate) 
  • Cyrano by Edmund Rostand, adapted & directed by Joe Haj, The Guthrie Theater. February 2019
  • Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau, Playmakers Rep, dir. Valerie Curtis-Newton. October 2018 
  • Dance Nation by Clare Barron, Playwrights Horizon, dir. Lee Sunday Evans. April 2018  
  • KPOP by Jason Kim, Helen Park and Max Vernon, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi/Woodshed Collective, dir. Teddy Bergman. 2017 (Associate)
  • Amélie by Craig Lucas, Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen, Center Theatre Group/Walter Kerr, dir. Pam MacKinnon. 2016-2017 (SCDF Mike Ockrent Fellowship Observer)
  • Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights Musical by Richard Allen and Taran Gray, New York Musical Festival, dir. Whitney White. 2017 (Associate) 
  • Nature Whatever by Sarah Einspanier, New Georges Water Residency, dir. Morgan Green. 2017 
  • Fost Fest created by Teddy Bergman and Jason Gray Platt, Future of Storytelling Conference, dir. Teddy Bergman. 2016 
  • Poster Boy by Craig Carnelia and Joe Tracz, Williamstown Theatre Festival, dir. Stafford Arima. 2016 
  • Head Over Heels by Jeff Whitty with music by The Go-Gos, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, dir. Ed Iskandar/Bill Rauch. 2015
  • Kentucky by Leah Nanako Winkler, Ensemble Studio Theatre, dir. Morgan Gould. 2015 
  • A Perfect Wedding by Charles Mee, Atlantic Conservatory, dir. Matt Dickson. 2015 

Awards/Honors: 

  • New York Fellowship, The Drama League of New York, 2018
  • 2050 Fellowship, New York Theatre Workshop, 2018 
  • Mike Ockrent Fellowship, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation. 2016
  • Van Lier Directing Fellowship, Asian American Arts Alliance. 2016

Education/Training: 

  • Northwestern University, BA in Theatre, Cum Laude, Module in Devising & Adaptation. GPA: 3.8
  • Williamstown Theatre Festival Directing Corps, June-August 2016
  • Directors’ Lab West, May 2016 
  • La MaMa Umbria Next Generation Residency, August-September 2016
  • La MaMa Umbria Director’s Symposium & Playwrights’ Retreat, June-August 2015
  • SITI Company Summer Theatre Intensive, June-July 2010