Dancers rehearse a scene from “Home.” (Yonhap)
Dancers rehearse a scene from “Home.” (Yonhap)

When the rehearsal ended, both the dancers and the choreographer seemed unable to shake the swell of emotion: their eyes were rimmed red, their noses flushed, as if still caught in the work’s lingering poignancy.

Seeking a more direct connection with audiences, Kim Jong-deok, artistic director of the National Dance Company of Korea and choreographer of “Home,” said he turned to what he felt most deeply -- his mother and his hometown.

“To touch on something more genuine, I created this piece based on the story I felt most profoundly,” Kim said after a rehearsal on Friday. “Its source of inspiration is my mother and my hometown.”

The National Dance Company of Korea will usher in the spring with its latest production, “Home,” running from April 23 to 26 at the Haeoreum Grand Theater in the National Theater of Korea. The work is Kim’s second choreography for the company, following “Book of the Dead” (2024).

“Home” blends dramatic narrative with the language of traditional Korean dance, exploring the inner memories and emotions that accumulate between a mother and her son. Through their relationship, the piece reflects on universal experiences of memory, longing and unspoken feeling.

Dancer Jang Hyun-soo, who plays the mother, said embodying the role required both physical and emotional transformation.

“I realized I couldn’t rely on the movements, gestures or emotions I had always used,” Jang said. “I tried to release all tension in my body and become an elderly mother. Since I’m not yet that age, even the way I walk feels challenging — I find myself thinking about every step I take.”

“Following the perspectives of the mother and son, audiences will encounter moments both beautiful and intense,” Kim said. “I hope they will also discover the symbols and metaphors hidden throughout the piece.”


hwangdh@heraldcorp.com