Peter Hyun; Director and Author Chronicled Korean-Americans

Peter Hyun, 87, director and author who chronicled the history of his Korean-American family. Born in Hawaii, Hyun grew up in Korea and China and studied theater arts at DePauw University in Indiana. Starting as an assistant stage manager in New York, Hyun advanced during the Depression, becoming director in 1936 of the Children’s Theater of the New York Federal Theater, a Works Progress Administration project to aid out-of-work actors. His play “Revolt of the Beavers” became the first WPA production to appear on Broadway. Hyun worked in Army intelligence during World War II, serving as liaison officer in the American military government in Korea. Later he directed plays, lectured on Asian studies at UCLA and operated a Chinese restaurant called the House of Hyun in Laguna Beach. As an octogenarian, Hyun published his first book, “Man Sei: The Making of a Korean-American,” in 1980. A sequel on his family history, “Man Sei II,” will be published by the University of Hawaii. On Aug. 25 in Oxnard of cancer.