Background
Kang was born in Pyongyang in 1932, now the capital of North of Korea.
姜孝實
Kang was born in Pyongyang in 1932, now the capital of North of Korea.
Kang graduated from Pyongyang Jeoil High School.
Kang"s father was Kang Hong-shik, a noted singer, and actor during the Japanese occupation period of of Korea and Jeon Ok, a noted actor known as "Queen of Tears" for Jeon"s excellent acting as tragic heroins that evoked audiences to tear. As having watched her mother"s acting, and trained by her mother, Kang was strongly influenced by Jeon Ok. In addition, Kang was more active on stage than in film, so she was referred to as a "characteristic actress" during her lifetime.
While Kang debuted with a play performed at Pyongyang National Theatre in 1946 when 17 years old, she earnestly started her career as entered Theatre Sinhyeop.
When at the 21 years old in Korean age, Kang married Choi despite her mother"s opposition. The couple debuted as film actors by starring in Kim Ki-young"s 1955 film, Box of Death.
Kang used a stage name, Jeon Jin-hui for the film. However, Choi had an affair with Kim Ji-mee, the best popular actress at that time, so that the marriage broke off in 1962 after trials for the adultery charge and divorce.
Choi soon married Kim Ji-mee but also divorced Kim after 6 years of marriage due to his debts.
Kang died of a chronic disease on November 2, 1996 and her body is buried in Cheonan, Gyeonggi province.