Jakyung C. Seo

Jakyung C. Seo is an internationally acclaimed lighting designer with 29 years of professional experience in the United States, Asia and Europe. Her designs have been showcased at major global festivals, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the UK, Avignon Off Festival in France and the Sibiu International Theatre Festival in Romania. She has also participated in the Busan International Performing Arts Festival in South Korea and received acclaim for her work with Thrust Dance Company at the International Dance Festival in Saitama, Japan.

In the United States, Seo has designed for leading regional theatres such as Cleveland Play House, Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Congo Square Theatre in Chicago, as well as Dobama Theatre and Cleveland Public Theatre in Cleveland. Additional credits include Contemporary American Theatre Company (CATCO) in Columbus, HEAR Theater in New York and Lodestone Theatre in Los Angeles.

A committed scholarly practitioner, Seo has presented her research and creative work at international conferences such as PQ Scenofest in Prague, the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) and the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC).

She currently serves as the artistic director of the Global Women Performing Arts Festival (GWPAF), an initiative dedicated to elevating the voices of female artists. Under her leadership, GWPAF has hosted international virtual events, including a notable collaboration with the Martha Graham Dance Company.

Seo is also a passionate educator with 21 years of teaching experience. She is a professor of Lighting Design and associate school director in the School of Theatre and Dance at Kent State University. Her previous academic appointments include the University of Cincinnati, California Stat University, Fresno and the University of Toledo.

Seo holds a B.A. in Theatre Studies from Kyung Sun University in South Korea and an M.F.A. in Lighting Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.