Star-studded gala celebrates legacy of Kim Sun-hee credited with training Korean ballet dancers for the international stage
Park Sae-eun, an etoile with the Paris Opera Ballet and the first Asian dancer to be principal dancer at the prestigious company, is among the celebrated performers gathering in Seoul this weekend to honor their mentor, Kim Sun-hee.
Ahead of Professor Kim’s retirement from Korea National University of Arts in February, her students -- now prominent figures in the international ballet world -- will take the stage in the "Global Ballet Star Gala" this Saturday and Sunday at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
Through this special gala, the ballet stars pay tribute to the teacher whose legacy has left an indelible mark on Korean ballet. A professor and dean of the School of Dance, Kim has been teaching at K-Arts since its founding in 1996.
"Professor Kim has played a pivotal role in taking K-Arts and Korean ballet to international prominence," said Park at a press conference held Wednesday. "She literally opened the doors for us to perform on the world stage. When she called, I didn’t hesitate to come."
Joining Park are Choi Young-gyu, principal dancer with the Dutch National Ballet, and Chae Ji-young, principal dancer with the Boston Ballet. Also performing are Jun Joon-hyuk, a soloist with The Royal Ballet in London; Park Sun-mi and Han Sung-woo, soloists with the American Ballet Theatre; and Jeon Min-cheol, the latest ballet sensation here, who is set to join Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet this year, becoming only the second Korean ballerino to do so after Kim Ki-min.
Representing Korea’s homegrown talent are Park Ye-eun, principal dancer at the Korean National Ballet, and Hong Hyang-gee, principal dancer at the Universal Ballet.
Kim spoke about the inspiration behind the event.
"I wanted to show Korean audiences how proud they can be of our dancers," said Kim. "Korea has become a factory producing world-class dancers. And now these dancers are engines driving ballet companies worldwide. I wanted to showcase how far classical ballet in Korea has come."
The gala will feature over 60 dancers, including current K-Arts students and alumni who are making their mark on international stages.
The dancers all credited Professor Kim’s rigorous training for their success on the international stage.
"I started training with her in elementary school," said Han. "I remember the jingle of the keys she always carried, which sent us running to the barre. She scrutinized every movement with microscope-like precision. Thanks to that training, I am where I am today."
Choi shared a similar sentiment. "I remember how much time she spent correcting even the smallest deviation in arm angles. That meticulous attention to detail has been invaluable in my career."
Seoul Ballet Forum under discussion
Joining the press conference were artistic directors from renowned ballet companies, including Ted Brandsen, director of Dutch National Ballet; Mikko Nissinen, artistic director of Boston Ballet; Yuri Fateev, ballet master of the Mariinsky Ballet; and Sascha Radetsky, artistic director of the American Ballet Theatre's Studio Company.
Together with the artistic directors, Kim is discussing plans for the Seoul Ballet Forum, an initiative set to officially debut in 2026 as a platform "where the global ballet community can share ideas, explore new opportunities and shape the future together."
"We are talking about the future of our art form. We need to be relevant for today's people," said Nissinen. "We don't want to be a museum. We want to be a living theater for today's people in order to be truly relative to today's world and contribute to the art form."
Brandsen referenced Positioning Ballet, a conference held in Amsterdam where artistic directors gather to discuss the art form’s direction, and expressed interest in future collaborations with the Seoul Ballet Forum.
Following the January gala, Kim plans to stage her fully choreographed production, "Song of the Mermaid," in October.
