Star-studded creative team of Leenalchi composer, Vogue Korea stylist and aespa music video art director join forces for National Dance Company's new project
Throughout history, art has captured the essence of beauty as it evolves over time.
In Korea, when one thinks of the traditional concept of beauty in art, Miindo ("Portrait of a Beauty") by Sin Yun-bok -- believed to have been painted between the late 18th and early 19th centuries -- often comes to mind.
Over the centuries, the depiction of women's beauty has evolved, and today, a new interpretation is set to take the stage.
"Beauty," a fresh production by the National Dance Company of Korea running from Thursday to Sunday, reimagines the classical aesthetics of Korean beauty for 2025.
During an open rehersal for the press on Wednesday afternoon, 29 female dancers transformed the stage into a kaleidoscope of movement and color.
The scene was more than a performance -- part fashion show and part music video -- infused with bold energy of contemprorary reinterpretations of hanbok, Korean traditional attire.
In the final part for talchum, flowing fabrics in eclectric hues swayed with every step, their vibrant pinks, yellows, oranges, greens and blues accentuated by mix-matching wigs. The rhythmic pulse of drums and the high-energy beat of music set the tone, fusing tradition with the modern edge.
At times, the dancers resembled mischievous "dokkaebi," or Korean goblins, whirling through playful, chaotic celebration.
"We aim to present a new vision of beauty -- not just the classical ideal seen in Sin Yun-bok’s painting, but also the many forms of beauty that exist in contemporary times," said director Yang Jung-woong in a recent press conference at the National Theater of Korea in central Seoul.
"We’ve assembled traditional dances in ways that haven’t been seen before in our repertoire. With staging, bold costumes and music, 'Beauty' offers a feast for the senses," said Yang. "It will be a complete artistic package, something both visually and aurally captivating."
"Beauty" reinterprets 11 traditional Korean dances, including "ganggangsulae," a circle dance; a sword dance; a fan dance; and a drum dance, through a bold fusion of classic movements and contemporary staging. The result is faster, more dynamic and powerfully choreographed, transforming these age-old forms into something strikingly new.
All-female cast brings bold, dynamic energy
"Beauty" brings together a star-studded creative team led by director Yang, whose career spans theater, film, musicals and the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
Choreographer Jung Bo-kyung, who appeared as a mentor on Mnet dance survival program "Stage Fighter," is at the helm of the movement, infusing traditional Korean dance with a contemporary sensibility.
"The National Dance Company is a place where future classics are born," said choreographer Jung. "I wanted to explore how we perceive and interpret folk dance today. Through variations in movement, we deconstructed and reconstructed aesthetic concepts to find a new direction for dance."
Jung described "Beauty" as a production that questions contemporary perceptions of Korean aesthetics. "It’s a work that asks, ‘How should we view our own concept of beauty?’ I hope audiences pay close attention to how we have reinterpreted Korea’s most well-known dances."
The 60-minute show features an all-female cast, subtly challenging conventional folk dance structures. For instance, the "talchum" (mask dance), historically performed by male dancers, will be staged even without traditional masks while maintaining other aspects such as the long, flowy sleeves and hems. The reimagined talcum is inspired by premodern carnivals, according to the choreographer.
"Personally, I want to show the audience just how powerful and captivating female dancers can be," Jung added.
Leenalchi composer, Vogue Korea stylist and K-pop's go-to art director
Jang Young-gyu, the renowned musician behind countless dance productions and a key member of the alternative pop band Leenalchi, translates movement into sound, giving the choreography an auditory depth.
Meanwhile, Seo Young-hee, a veteran stylist who has shaped K-fashion for over 30 years at Vogue Korea, oversees costume and object design.
"My goal was to create costumes that align with the choreographer’s vision," Seo said. "Jung’s decision to perform the fan dance without floral patterns and the mask dance without masks was incredibly fresh. It made me rethink how far we could deconstruct and reinterpret hanbok."
The production's visual identity is further enhanced by art director Shin Ho-seung, known for his work on music videos for top K-pop acts like aespa, NCT 127 and IVE.
His stage design incorporates a 6.5-meter-wide air balloon to symbolize the balance of yin and yang, along with a 26-meter fabric installation and scroll-like LED projections that create a bold yet minimalist aesthetic.
Director Yang described the stage as “the pinnacle of mise-en-scene.” He explained that the production will offer a visually spectacular and vividly colorful display.
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com
