91-year-old actor Shin Gu took the stage on his wife's funeral day — EBS doc tells the full story

Shin Gu is 91 and still performing. On August 2 at 9:10 PM, EBS launches 시대목격 (Witnessing the Era), opening with him—Korea's oldest active actor, 65 years into a career that began at 26 during the currency reform era.

The episode 연극의 신구 (Theater's Shin Gu) follows him from that debut through his current role in The Merchant of Venice. Its core moment comes from 2025: while touring Waiting for Godot in the provinces, Shin Gu's wife died. He performed on the day of her funeral.

"A performance is not related to my personal life," he said. "I made a promise with the audience, so personal circumstances cannot be involved."

The documentary also documents the Shin Gu Scholarship, which he has funded at Seoul National University of Arts since 1987 for students facing financial hardship. Actor Yu Hae-jin, a recipient, appears in the episode: "When school life was difficult because of financial hardship, I was able to finish my difficult school years with the teacher's help — and I think that's how I've been able to continue acting until now."

Other voices include Jeon Mu-song (trained with Shin Gu at the Drama Center Theater Academy), Park Geun-hyung (his co-star in Waiting for Godot), Jang Young-nam, Jo Dal-hwan, Lee Sang-yoon, and Park So-dam. Production staff also appear.

시대목격 is a 12-field documentary series spanning film, theater, literature, music, baduk, entertainment, sports, fashion, media, advertising, and choreography.