Song Seung-hwan, creator of the famous percussion performance “Nanta,” will direct the opening and closing ceremonies of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the organizing committee said Thursday.

Song, 58, was chosen as artistic director of the ceremonies, the committee said in a press announcement, citing his “directorial skills” and “understanding of the audience, media and human network.”

An acclaimed show producer, Song runs PMC Production Co. in Seoul, which stages “Nanta,” “Wedding” and a score of other original musicals and plays. “Nanta,” which premiered in 1997, is his biggest hit, still running and having attracted more than 10 million spectators so far. 

Song is an actor himself who made his debut as a child voice actor for national broadcaster KBS in 1965. He is also a professor at Sungshin Women‘s University in Seoul, and headed the local association of musical creators in 2011 and 2012.

“As the PyeongChang Olympics is an event the whole world will be watching, I will try hard to make it an opportunity to newly promote Korean culture,” Song told wire agency Yonhap upon the appointment. 

By Rumy Doo (bigbird@heraldcorp.com)