33 Keys to Decoding the Korean Wave  #16 EAT, DRINK, SING & DANCE

#16 People who enjoy Eating, Drinking, Singing and Dancing

<4> DANCE  

 

#16 음주가무-춤추고 Dance <Korean version>

https://www.nyculturebeat.com/index.php?mid=Focus&document_srl=4079703

 

“Yuna Kim possesses the DNA of a Korean dancer.”

 

“The coronation is complete. Long live the Queen!”

-Tom Hammond, NBC -

 

During the broadcast of the women’s singles figure skating event at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics on February 26th, American sports caster Tom Hammond of NBC-TV provided the commentary on Yuna Kim’s performance. On that day, Yuna Kim ascended to the status of Figure Skating Queen as she secured the gold medal. Furthermore, that same year, she was selected as one of Time magazine's “100 Most Influential People in the World” alongside renowned chef David Chang of Momofuku in New York City. Yuna Kim broke figure skating world records 11 times, achieving the grand slam of figure skating and inspiring numerous “Yuna Kids” in Korea.

 

Yuna Kim showcased not only the technical prowess of figure skating as an Olympic sport but also reached the pinnacle of artistic expression through dance on ice. Figure skating is often referred to as “Ballet on Ice.” The spins in figure skating, as well as the rotations in ballet, along with spirals (a movement where one leg is raised backward at a 90-degree angle) and arabesques, share similarities. From “Giselle” to “Scheherazade,” Yuna Kim enthralled the audience with ballet on ice.

 

 

After winning the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, “Figure Skating Queen” Yuna Kim joyfully raises the Korean flag.

 

In order to enhance her flexibility as a figure skater, Yuna Kim is known to have learned ballet from Evelyn Hart, the principal dancer of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada. Kang Sue-jin, artistic director of Korea National Ballet and former principal dancer of the Stuttgart Ballet in Germany, made the following assessment after watching Yuna Kim’s performance at the 2014 Sochi Olympics:

“Yuna Kim's body was perfectly balanced overall. Particularly, her arm movements were incredibly beautiful. She demonstrated that technique is not everything; she embodied it through her physicality. If we were to classify her as a ballet dancer, Yuna Kim would undoubtedly be a prima ballerina, possessing the essence of the leading female role.”

-Kang Sue-jin, interviewed by Chosun Ilbo -

 

Korean dance experts have similarly praised Yuna Kim, noting that she appears to possess the DNA of a dancer, with naturally elegant body lines and a fluidity of movement that embodies the essence of Korea’s rich dance tradition.

 

 

 

#K-Ballet: Korean Dancers of the World of Ballet

 

 

Kang Sue-jin 

 

The wave of “K-Ballet” is growing stronger. Many Koreans are currently serving as principal dancers in renowned ballet companies around the world, and Korean ballet prodigies are sweeping awards at international competitions. At the Benois de la Danse, the prestigious ballet competition known as the “Academy Awards of Ballet,” five Koreans have received the highest honors for both male and female dancers: Kang Sue-jin (1999), Kim Ju-won (2006), Kimin Kim (2016), Park Se Eun (2018) and Kang Mi-sun (2023).

 

Kang Sue-jin is considered the pioneer of K-Ballet. After studying at the Académie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace in Monaco, Kang won first place at the Lausanne International Ballet Competition in 1985. At the age of 19, she became the first Asian and youngest dancer to join the Stuttgart Ballet in Germany. In 1997, she was promoted to principal dancer, and the German Orchid Society named a species after her, Phalaenopsis Sue Jin Kang. Since 2013, Kang has been serving as the Artistic Director and CEO of the Korean National Ballet.

 

Yena Kang became the first Korean dancer to join the Mariinsky Ballet (formerly known as the Kirov Ballet) in Russia after graduating from the Kirov Ballet Academy in Washington, D.C. She later became the principal dancer of the Universal Ballet in Korea, after serving as a soloist with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in New York. Yena Kang retired from ballet in 2003 and transitioned to become an actress.

 

Jiyeon Ryu, the first Asian and youngest student at the Vaganova Ballet Academy affiliated with the Mariinsky Ballet, graduated as a top student. After winning the Vaganova International Competition’s Artistic Prize in 1995, Ryu joined the Mariinsky Ballet. She was promoted to soloist and became the only foreign member of the Mariinsky Ballet, before retiring in 2010. After returning to Korea, she became the deputy artistic director of the Universal Ballet, nurturing future talents. And in 2023 she was appointed as a jury member for the Benois de la Danse.

 

 

Hee Seo and Kimin Kim performed in ABT’s “La Bayadère” at the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center in May 2014. Photo: Sukie Park/NYCultureBeat

 

In 2012, Hee Seo became the first Asian principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). After training at the Kirov Ballet Academy, Seo won the Lausanne Competition and the Youth America Grand Prix in 2003. She joined the ABT Studio Company, and rising through the ranks of the corps de ballet and soloist, she reached the pinnacle of her career as a principal ballerina. In 2015, Seo established the Hee Seo Foundation to discover ballet prodigies and has been hosting the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Korea.

 

Kimin Kim, an alumnus of the Korean National University of Arts, joined the Mariinsky Ballet in 2011 at the age of 19, becoming the first Asian male dancer to join the company. He was promoted to principal dancer in 2015 and became the first Asian male dancer to perform as a lead in the role of Solor in “La Bayadère” at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, New York, alongside Hee Seo. In September 2020, Joo Won Ahn became the first Korean male principal dancer at ABT. 

 

Following in the footsteps of Kimin Kim and Choi Young-gyu of the Dutch National Ballet, Korean male ballet dancers are making their mark on the ABT stage, where Hee Seo has already established herself. Hee Seo and Joo Won Ahn performed together as lead dancers in the opening performance of ABT’s “Don Quixote” in June 2022. Then, in July, Sung Woo Han and SunMi Park were promoted to soloists as of September 1.

 

 

Joo Won Ahn during a stage greeting after the performance of “Le Corsaire” in July 2017. Photo: Sukie Park/NYCultureBeat

 

Park Se Eun, who joined the Paris Opera Ballet in 2012, was promoted to Premier danseur, the highest rank for dancers, in 2016. In 2021, she became the first Asian dancer to be named an étoile, the highest rank of the Paris Opera Ballet. Kim Yong-geol became the first Korean to join the Paris Opera Ballet in 2000 and retired as a sujet, a soloist who also plays lead roles. He is currently a professor at the Korean National University of Arts. In the Spanish National Ballet, where Kim Se-yeon retired as a principal dancer, Park Yae-ji is currently active as a soloist.

 

In addition, there are many other talented Korean ballet dancers making their mark on the world stage, including Kang Hyo-jung (principal dancer at the Stuttgart Ballet), Lee Sang-eun (principal dancer at the Dresden Semperoper Ballet), Choi Young-gyu (principal dancer at the Dutch National Ballet), Kim Min-jung (soloist at the Hungarian National Ballet), Yuhui Choe (first soloist at the Royal Ballet in the UK), Eun Won Lee (principal dancer at the Washington Ballet), Ji Young Chae (principal dancer at the Boston Ballet), Seo Hye Han (principal dancer at the Boston Ballet), and many more.

 

 

#The Secrets Behind the Success of Korean Dancers in Competitions

 

In October 2018, the ballet “Song of the Mermaid” was performed at New York City Center, choreographed by Professor Sunhee Kim of KNUA.

 

Professor Sunhee Kim of the Korean National University of Arts (KNUA) has been instrumental in nurturing world-class talents such as Kimin Kim, Park Se Eun, Seo-hye Han, Young-gyu Choi, Min-jung Kim, Eun-won Lee, Hyun-woong Kim, Jae-woo Lee, Ri-hoe Kim, Dong-tak Lee, Sang-i Han, Byeol Yoon, Joo Won Ahn and Sung Woo Han.

 

In an interview with me for NYCultureBeat.com in 2018, Professor Sunhee Kim shared the secret to the success of Korean dancers in international competitions. She explained that even if a dancer’s physical condition is not perfect, she focuses on finding and developing their strengths. Her teaching emphasizes the importance of delicate movement, diverse artistic expression, and strong technical skill. She also underscored the need for “strong determination and burning passion” as key factors for success. In October 2018, Professor Kim presented her choreographic work Song of the Mermaid at the New York City Center, featuring Kimin Kim, principal dancer of the Mariinsky Ballet, alongside Soobin Lee and Seonmee Park.

 

At the Youth America Grand Prix in Tampa, Florida, in April 2023, Chae Eun Lee won first place in the Junior Division. In the Senior Women and Senior Men divisions, Soo Min Kim and Minchul Jeon earned joint second place, and the duo also won first place in the Ensemble Duet category. KNUA, where Kim Soo Min and Jeon Minchul study, received the Outstanding School award.

 

These are just a few examples of the exceptional Korean ballet dancers who have made their mark on the international stage. Thanks to the guidance and expertise of Professor Kim Sunhee, her students have honed their skills and achieved remarkable global success.

 

#Korea: The Breakdancing Powerhouse

 

Posters of Benson Lee's breakdancing documentary 'Planet B-Boy' (2007, left) and the Hollywood film 'Battle of the Year' (2013).

 

While ballet originated in the royal courts of Italy, breakdancing was born in the slums of New York City. Ballet began as a social dance in the Italian royal courts during the Renaissance era of the 1500s. Catherine de' Medici, daughter of the Florentine Duke of Lorenzaccio, spread ballet to the French kingdom after marrying King Henry II of France. The Italian word “ballo” became “ballet” in French. Louis XIV, the “Sun King” and an avid ballet enthusiast, established the Royal Academy of Music, which later gave rise to the Paris Opera Ballet.

 

On the other hand, breakdancing emerged in the South Bronx of New York City, the birthplace of hip-hop music, in the 1970s. It originated from martial arts movements that street gangs learned for self-defense. The first dancer was A1 B-boy Sasa, who appeared at the party of hip-hop DJ Kool Herc in 1973. Kool Herc started calling the teenage African American funk dancers at his parties “B-boys” and “B-girls.”

 

In the 1990s, breakdancing spread to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America along with hip-hop music. It started with the Battle of the Year (BOTY) in Germany in 1990 and continued with events like Chelles Battle Pro in France (2001), Red Bull BC One (2004) held at various locations, Floor Wars in Denmark (2005), R-16 Korea (2010, 2011, 2012), World B-Boy Classic in the Netherlands (2009), B-boy, B-girl Africa in Burkina Faso (2012), Solverde World Battle in Portugal (2014), and Bucheon International Championship (BBIC) in South Korea (2016). 

 

 

 

Jinjo Crew

 

Breakdancing has been adopted as an official sport for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Currently, Korea holds the top rank in the world of breakdancing. Jinjo Crew is a team that achieved the Grand Slam of breakdancing by sweeping the top five major competitions in the world (UK B-boy Championship 2012, Freestyle Session 2011, Battle Of The Year 2010-2018-2021, R-16 Korea 2010-2012, Red Bull BC One 2008).

 

Even the director behind a breakdancing film has Korean heritage. Benson Lee, a Korean-Canadian director, directed the documentary film “Planet B-Boy” in 2007, which explores the global b-boying culture centered around the 2005 Battle of the Year competition. The film won the Best Documentary Award at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2013, Benson Lee made a breakdancing drama called “Battle of the Year” in Hollywood

 

 

#K-POP: Dance, Dance, Dance

 

BTS performing "DNA" in 2017

 

In July 2021, The Washington Post analyzed the secret to K-Pop’s success in their article “How K-Pop Conquered the Universe.” They attributed it to addictive songs, elaborate choreography, YouTube marketing, adept use of social media, and the dedicated activities of fans. The newspaper cited BTS as an example, mentioning their dance called “Permission to Dance,” which incorporates international sign language and encourages fans to learn and share the dance moves on social media. Choreographer Sienna LaRue, who collaborated with BTS member Jennie Lopez, stated that trendy dances are a crucial element in making K-Pop.

 

Wonder Girls, Girls’ Generation, KARA, Rain, BoA, BIGBANG, Super Junior, 2NE1, and other idol stars debuted in 2007 and subsequently led the Hallyu wave, starting from Asia. These K-Pop stars have continuously driven Hallyu. K-Pop stars have captivated fans with their impressive choreography, resembling acrobatics, in their music videos.

 

K-Pop dance gained global attention in 2012 with Psy’s signature horse-riding dance in “Gangnam Style,” which garnered over one billion views on YouTube in less than six months. Parody videos of “Gangnam Style” flooded the internet, turning Psy and the dance into a global sensation. As of July 15, 2022, the music video for “Gangnam Style” has accumulated over 4.47 billion views on YouTube, ranking it among the top five most-viewed music videos in history.

 

 

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei created a parody video of “Gangnam Style,” dancing with handcuffs in 2012. The Chinese government banned the video.

 

In 2013, BTS rose to global stardom with their intricate choreography and precise dance techniques. Their dances possess an irresistible charm that is unmatched by any Western boy band.

 

Several research papers have been published analyzing K-Pop from a dance perspective. Kang Ju-sun, Deputy Director of Korea Arts Education Institute, presented a doctoral dissertation titled “Development of an Elementary School Dance Education Program Using K-Pop Dance: Focusing on Rudolf von Laban’s BESS Movement Theory” in 2018. The dissertation demonstrated that learning K-Pop dance can cultivate the ability to express human emotions through physical movement. It analyzed K-Pop choreography using Rudolf von Laban’s Lavan Movement Analysis (LMA) tool. 

 

Kang Joo-sun proposed a dance program that allows elementary school students to learn 18 different ways of expressing emotions through K-Pop dance. This program categorized K-Pop songs released between 1999 and 2017 into six emotions: joy (excitement/ ecstasy / hope), sadness (melancholy/ agony/ loss), liking (liking/ wanting/ love), disliking (hate/ disgust/ contempt), fear (fear / worry/ timidity), and anger (anger/ aggressiveness/ resentment).

 

 

Girls' Generation' "GEE" (2009)

   

In a research paper titled “A Study on Idol Dance – Based on Girls’ Generation’s Dance 'Gee'” by Ewha Womans University Professor Cho Ki-sook and Jung Gyeo-ul, they analyzed Girls’ Generation’s dance, stating, “First, emphasizing cuteness and sexiness in the dance attracts male fans. Second, repetitive point choreography creates mass appeal, allowing the audience to enjoy it. Third, simple and easy-to-follow movements make the audience feel familiar and actively participate in the dance.”

 

In Park Jin-soo’s master’s thesis, “A Study on the Transformosphere in K-POP Dance” at Ewha Womans University, it was analyzed that K-Pop dance generates new meanings by creating small and specific differences through overlapping and repetition of similar concepts and artists. It was also concluded that K-Pop dance undergoes transformation through the formation of new relationships that occur when the existing structure collapses and new connections are made. The transformative space of K-Pop dance amplifies and continuously operates as the relationships surrounding dance collapse and new connections are formed.

 

 

 

One of the reasons why K-Pop appeals to teenagers worldwide is because it allows them to express their emotions infinitely through dance. K-Pop may even serve as a form of therapy for the turbulent emotions experienced during adolescence, commonly known as “Sturm und Drang.” K-Pop has also brought about a global trend of dance workshops, further spreading its influence across the world.

 

Since 2016, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Korea Culture and Information Service has been organizing the annual “K-Pop Academy” in various cities around the world, teaching the latest K-Pop dance and vocal techniques to Hallyu fans. In 2019, the academy took place in 25 cultural centers in 21 countries, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Osaka, Thailand, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Russia, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Turkey, Italy, Kazakhstan, Washington, New York, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, UAE, and Nigeria.

 

Alongside K-Pop lessons, the Academy promoted Korean culture through K-Pop concerts, virtual reality experiences of Korean tourist attractions, traditional cultural experiences such as yut-nori (traditional board game), creating the Taegeukgi (Korean national flag) with a 3D pen, and providing lectures on Korean history through dramas. Regular K-Pop dance workshops are also held at community centers and dance academies in New York and New Jersey.

 

In South Korea, various K-pop festivals celebrate the genre’s vibrant dance culture. The K-Pop Dance Festival, organized by Seoul Arts College, the Korea Tourism Organization, and the Seoul Tourism Organization, features street dance and K-pop dance competitions. The K-Pop Cover Dance Festival invites global fans to imitate the moves, expressions, and costumes of their favorite idol groups. REAL K-POP DANCE is a program that teaches participants the latest K-pop choreography directly from the professional backup dancers of K-pop stars. Additionally, there’s even a dance game called K-Pop Dance Festival, offering fans another way to engage with their favorite music through movement.

 

 

K-pop’s immersive dance culture has become a vital part of its global appeal, bringing people together across borders through its infectious rhythms and dynamic choreography.

 

 

Young Soon Kim and DUMBO Dance Festival

 

"Eternal Now" choraeographed by Young Soon Kim 

 

On the other hand, Korean dancer Young Soon Kim has been organizing the DUMBO Dance Festival in New York since 2001. As an artistic director, she hosts the festival in DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), an artist enclave located near the East River waterfront between the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge. The festival serves as a showcase for contemporary dance and a platform for young choreographers. In June 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was held virtually, with over 60 dance companies and more than 350 artists participating over four days.

 

After graduating from Ewha Womans University with a major in dance, Kim Young Soon immigrated to New York in 1977. She trained at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and worked with the Jennifer Muller Dance Company before founding her own dance company, White Wave Young Soon Kim Dance Company, in 1988. In addition to the DUMBO Dance Festival, she has organized three other dance festivals throughout the year: Cool NY Dance Festival since 2004, Wave Rising Series since 2006, and Solo Duo Dance Festival since 2016. https://www.whitewavedance.org.

 

 

Sukie Park 

A native Korean, Sukie Park studied journalism and film & theater in Seoul. She worked as a reporter with several Korean pop, cinema, photography and video magazines, as a writer at Korean radio (KBS-2FM 영화음악실) and television (MBC-TV 출발 비디오 여행) stations, and as a copywriter at a video company(대우 비디오). Since she moved to New York City, Sukie covered culture and travel for The Korea Daily of New York(뉴욕중앙일보) as a journalist. In 2012 she founded www.NYCultureBeat.com, a Korean language website about cultural events, food, wine, shopping, sightseeing, travel and people.