Esther K. Chae
Encyclopedia
Esther Chae is a Korean-American actor
and writer
. Chae has appeared in numerous television shows such as NCIS
, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, The West Wing, The Shield
, and ER
. She has also performed on theater stages including Yale Repertory Theater, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
, Mark Taper Forum
/ Kirk Douglas Theater, East West Players
, P.S. 122, and Harvard/American Repertory Theater. Chae was among the inaugural class of TED
fellows in 2009. She wrote and performed in So The Arrow Flies, an 80-minute one-woman performance about a North Korean spy and the FBI agent that hunts her down. It touches on post-9/11
themes of terrorism, political ideology, national identity and mother-daughter relationships.
, and at the age of five moved to Seoul, Korea.
She graduated from Korea University
with a B.A. in French Literature
. Upon graduation, she returned to the United States
. Chae earned her M.A. in Theater Studies at the University of Michigan
and her M.F.A in Acting at the Yale School of Drama
.
’s acclaimed play, Tea, at the Performance Network in Ann Arbor, Michigan
. She has taught and lectured at the Yale School of Drama
, University of Southern California
, California State University, San Marcos
, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts
Performance Studies and the New York Film Academy
. See credit section below for details.
. That year, she also received the 2010 University of Michigan
Emerging Artist Alumni Award & King/Chavez/Parks Visiting Professorship and Emerging Artist Award.
In 2009, she was one of the inaugural 2009 TED
Fellows. At the conference she performed an excerpt from her solo performance So The Arrow Flies.
In 2008, Chae was invited to the University of Southern California
’s Network of Korean-American Leaders (NetKAL) Fellowship Program which promotes community leadership among successful second-generation Korean-Americans.
In 2007, Chae was awarded the Korean Wave Asia Star Award which was nationally and internationally televised throughout Korea
, Philippines
, China
, and Japan
.
that enables Chae's artistic work in producing, writing, directing, and acting to reach a larger global audience.
Chae’s solo performance So The Arrow Flies is about a Korean- American FBI agent that pursues a North Korean spy. The performance debuted at New York's Estrogenius Festival in 2007. Since then, it has been featured at a TED
conference, Ars Nova Theater (New York City), Cherry Lane Theater (New York City), World Women’s Forum (Seoul, Korea), Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland), October Nights Theater Festival (Imola, Italy), and educational institutions such as New York University
and City University of New York
's Martin Segal Theater Center.
and Korean
, as well as some French
and written Chinese. Chae is certified stage combatant, and is trained in Korean Drum and Mask dance. Recently, she summited Kilimanjaro (Tanzania
, 5,895m) and trekked the Himalayan Mountains (India
, 1400m).
2010 University of Michigan Emerging Artist Alumni Award
2009 TED
Fellow
2007 Korean Wave
Asian Star Award at the Asia Model Festival Awards
2008 NetKAL Fellowship
2006 Vision Award by The National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications ("Cinema AZN"/International Channel)
2005 AFTRA Best American Scene Award ("Micro Miniseries"/ABC)
2005 Golden Reel Award, Best Radio Play ("Hiroshima" with Tyne Daly
and Ruby Dee
)
2001 Ammy Award for Asian Americans, Best Documentary Nominee ("Becoming an Actress in NYC")
2000 Obie
Theater Award Nominee ("Pojagi"/Ping Chong and Co.)
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. Chae has appeared in numerous television shows such as NCIS
NCIS (TV series)
NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, The West Wing, The Shield
The Shield
The Shield is an American television drama series starring Michael Chiklis which premiered on March 12, 2002 on FX in the United States and concluded on November 25, 2008 after seven seasons...
, and ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
. She has also performed on theater stages including Yale Repertory Theater, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club is an off-off Broadway theatre founded in 1961 by Ellen Stewart, and named in reference to her. Located on Manhattan's Lower East Side, the theatre grew out of Stewart's tiny basement boutique for her fashion designs; the boutique's space acted as a theatre for...
, Mark Taper Forum
Mark Taper Forum
The Mark Taper Forum is a 739 seat thrust stage at the Los Angeles Music Center built by Welton Becket and Associates on the Bunker Hill section of downtown Los Angeles...
/ Kirk Douglas Theater, East West Players
East West Players
East West Players is an Asian American theatre organization in Los Angeles, founded in 1965. As one of the nation's first Asian American theatre organizations, East West Players today continues to produce works and educational programs that give voice to the Asian Pacific American...
, P.S. 122, and Harvard/American Repertory Theater. Chae was among the inaugural class of TED
TED (conference)
TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
fellows in 2009. She wrote and performed in So The Arrow Flies, an 80-minute one-woman performance about a North Korean spy and the FBI agent that hunts her down. It touches on post-9/11
Post-9/11
Post-9/11 is a term used to describe state of living in the United States or other parts of the world after the September 11 attacks, in reference to the many changes that have occurred due to the attacks...
themes of terrorism, political ideology, national identity and mother-daughter relationships.
Early Life and Education
Chae is the daughter of Dr. Hi-kyung Chae, and Mrs. Inja Chae. She was born in Eugene, OregonEugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, and at the age of five moved to Seoul, Korea.
She graduated from Korea University
Korea University
Korea University is a prestigious nonsectarian, private research university located primarily in Seoul, South Korea, and one of the SKY universities, a historical acronym used in South Korea to refer to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Founded by Lee Yong-ik in...
with a B.A. in French Literature
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
. Upon graduation, she returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Chae earned her M.A. in Theater Studies at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and her M.F.A in Acting at the Yale School of Drama
Yale School of Drama
The Yale School of Drama is a graduate professional school of Yale University providing training in every discipline of the theatre: acting, design , directing, dramaturgy and dramatic criticism, playwriting, stage management, sound design, technical design and production, and theater...
.
Career
In 1995, Chae’s first professional acting role was playing a lead in Velina Hasu HoustonVelina Hasu Houston
Velina Hasu Houston, born Velina Avisa Hasu Houston, is an award winning American playwright, essayist, poet, author, editor, and screenwriter...
’s acclaimed play, Tea, at the Performance Network in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. She has taught and lectured at the Yale School of Drama
Yale School of Drama
The Yale School of Drama is a graduate professional school of Yale University providing training in every discipline of the theatre: acting, design , directing, dramaturgy and dramatic criticism, playwriting, stage management, sound design, technical design and production, and theater...
, University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, California State University, San Marcos
California State University, San Marcos
California State University San Marcos is a public, coeducational university and one of the 23 general campuses of the California State University system. located in San Marcos, California, a suburban town in north San Diego County. It was founded in 1989 as the 20th CSU campus and was the first...
, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
Performance Studies and the New York Film Academy
New York Film Academy
New York Film Academy - School of Film and Acting is a film school andacting school based in New York City, Universal City, California, USA and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. NYFA offers short-term film-making and acting courses, as well as one- and two-year conservatory and Master of Fine Arts...
. See credit section below for details.
Notable Awards and Recognition
In 2010, Chae received the 2010 APA Heritage Trailblazer Award by New York governor David PatersonDavid Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
. That year, she also received the 2010 University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Emerging Artist Alumni Award & King/Chavez/Parks Visiting Professorship and Emerging Artist Award.
In 2009, she was one of the inaugural 2009 TED
TED (conference)
TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
Fellows. At the conference she performed an excerpt from her solo performance So The Arrow Flies.
In 2008, Chae was invited to the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
’s Network of Korean-American Leaders (NetKAL) Fellowship Program which promotes community leadership among successful second-generation Korean-Americans.
In 2007, Chae was awarded the Korean Wave Asia Star Award which was nationally and internationally televised throughout Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
3 Hearts Productions and So The Arrow Flies
In 2009, Chae formed 3 Hearts Productions, a production companyProduction company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
that enables Chae's artistic work in producing, writing, directing, and acting to reach a larger global audience.
Chae’s solo performance So The Arrow Flies is about a Korean- American FBI agent that pursues a North Korean spy. The performance debuted at New York's Estrogenius Festival in 2007. Since then, it has been featured at a TED
TED (conference)
TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
conference, Ars Nova Theater (New York City), Cherry Lane Theater (New York City), World Women’s Forum (Seoul, Korea), Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland), October Nights Theater Festival (Imola, Italy), and educational institutions such as New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
's Martin Segal Theater Center.
Theater
| Year | Production | Location | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Measure for Measure | Yale Repertory Theater | Juliet | |
| 2001 | Piano | Harvard/American Repertory Theater | Han | |
| 2001 | Pojagi: The Korea Project | La MaMa (New York)/Millenium Festival (Korea) | Lead | Nominated – New York Obie Award Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City... Best Production |
| 2005 | Distant Shore | Kirk Douglas Theater/Mark Taper | Mina | |
| 2007 | Yellowface | Mark Taper Forum | Various (u/s) | |
| 2006–2010 | So The Arrow Flies | Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland), Ars Nova Theater (New York), World Women’s Forum (Korea) | Creator and Lead |
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Come On | Screenwriter and Lead Actor | Hampton’s International Film Festival |
| 2000 | Becoming an Actress in New York City | Lead | Nominated – Asian American Ammy Award |
| 2002 | 24 24 (TV series) 24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration... |
Mina | |
| 2003 | The Shield | Donna | |
| 2003 | ER ER (TV series) ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television... |
Reporter Justine | |
| 2003 | The West Wing | McKenzie | |
| 2004 | ABC Micro Mini Series | Amy | AFTRA Best American Scene Award |
| 2005 | Esther Chae in Hollywood | Herself | Documentary nationally televised in Korea |
| 2005 | Cinema AZN Cinema AZN Cinema AZN was a weekly half-hour program, hosted by Marie-France Arcilla, broadcast on AZN Television until that network ceased broadcasting in April 2008... |
Herself | Vision Award by The National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications |
| 2006 | NCIS NCIS (TV series) NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S... |
Yoon Dawson | |
| 2006 | Night Stalker Night Stalker -Criminals:* Richard Ramirez, a Los Angeles serial killer known as the Night Stalker* Original Night Stalker, an unidentified serial killer and rapist unrelated to Ramírez... |
Dae | |
| 2007 | Law and Order: Criminal Intent | Ms. Kim | |
| 2008 | The Young and the Restless The Young and the Restless The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin... |
Dr. Che | |
| 2011 | Untitled Brenda Hampton Brenda Hampton Brenda Hampton is an American television show creator, writer and producer. She created, wrote and produced 7th Heaven, Fat Actress and The Secret Life of the American Teenager.-Life and career:... Project (pilot) |
Sarah |
Personal life
Chae is fluent in EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
, as well as some French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and written Chinese. Chae is certified stage combatant, and is trained in Korean Drum and Mask dance. Recently, she summited Kilimanjaro (Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, 5,895m) and trekked the Himalayan Mountains (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, 1400m).
Awards and Recognition
2010 Asian American Trailblazer Award2010 University of Michigan Emerging Artist Alumni Award
2009 TED
TED (conference)
TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
Fellow
2007 Korean Wave
Korean wave
The Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture around the world. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China...
Asian Star Award at the Asia Model Festival Awards
2008 NetKAL Fellowship
2006 Vision Award by The National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications ("Cinema AZN"/International Channel)
2005 AFTRA Best American Scene Award ("Micro Miniseries"/ABC)
2005 Golden Reel Award, Best Radio Play ("Hiroshima" with Tyne Daly
Tyne Daly
Tyne Daly is an American stage and screen actress, widely known for her work as Detective Mary Beth Lacey in the television series Cagney & Lacey and as Maxine Gray in the television series Judging Amy. She is also known for her role as Alice Henderson in television series Christy...
and Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun and the film American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Early years:Dee was born Ruby...
)
2001 Ammy Award for Asian Americans, Best Documentary Nominee ("Becoming an Actress in NYC")
2000 Obie
Obie
Obie may refer to:* Bill "Obie" O'Billovich , a former coach in the Canadian Football League* Obie Award, off-Broadway Theater Award* Obie Baizley , Canadian politician* Obie Bermúdez , pop singer and composer...
Theater Award Nominee ("Pojagi"/Ping Chong and Co.)