Latest news with #JeonMin-chul
Korea Herald
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Interview: Prince in progress, Jeon Min-chul finds his own Albrecht
Ballerino Jeon Min-chul is on the cusp of a major career leap. In June, he will join the Mariinsky Ballet -- only the second Korean to do so after Kim Ki-min. Before that, he takes the final stage this week in Korea in two sold-out performances of "Giselle" with principal dancer Hong Hyang-gee, on Friday and Sunday. This is his second full-length ballet after Solor in "La Bayadere" last September. 'Giselle was the very first ballet I ever saw, actually,' Jeon said in a separate phone interview. 'And it's the ballet I've seen the most since then.' Taking on the romantic lead, he knew from the start that he wanted to shape a version that felt true to both the character and to himself, at age 20. "I kept asking myself: What kind of Albrecht can I portray best at this point in my life? He's young, maybe reckless. And I don't think his actions come from cruelty, but from not knowing what to do." Jeon was drawn to Albrecht's emotional contradictions. Rather than portraying a perfectly polished prince, he leaned into the character's youthful uncertainty and flawed humanity. 'When you meet someone like Giselle, so pure, you wonder: is it love, or are you just pulled in by the feeling, the moment?' he said. 'From the outside, it may look like love. But inside, I think there's confusion as well. That's the side I wanted to explore.' For Jeon, 2024 was the year everything changed. After making headlines in July, performance after performance sold out within minutes, as audiences flocked to see the young dancer bound for Russia. The whirlwind of success also brought a sense of growth, not only as an artist, but as a person. "It felt like everything changed so suddenly and dramatically," said Jeon. 'My perspective expanded so much. I don't think I'll ever forget the year.' "It's thrilling to imagine dancing in a completely new environment. Of course, I have concerns -- how I'll adapt, how I'll find my rhythm -- but I'm not someone who fears change. I trust that I'll find my way.' hwangdh@ [{"ART_ID":10468017,"MAIN_THUMB":"\/news\/cms\/2025\/04\/17\/ Jeon Min-chul is on the cusp of a major career leap. In June, he will join the Mariinsky Ballet -- only the second Korean to do so after Kim Ki-min. Before that, he takes the final stage this week in Korea in two sold-out performances of \"Giselle\" with principal dancer Hong Hyang-gee, on Friday and Sunday. This is his second full-length ballet after Solor in \"La Bayadere\" last September. \u201CGiselle was the very first ballet I ever saw, actually,\u201D Jeon said in a separate phone interview. ","SERVICE_MM":"04","SERVICE_DD":"17","WRITERS":"Hwang Dong-hee","CONTENT_ATTR":"1","TITLE":"Interview: Prince in progress, Jeon Min-chul finds his own Albrecht","CODE_GRADE":"M","REG_ID":"2022013","SERVICE_MD":"04-17","SERVICE_DAYTIME":"2025-04-17 17:59:14","CODE_NM":"Herald Interview"},{"ART_ID":10468010,"MAIN_THUMB":"\/news\/cms\/2025\/04\/17\/news-p.v1.20250417.93d7c49c09e1414896eb9ec0477d94ec_T1.jpg","CODE_TYPE":"S","CODE_ID":"S410406","SERVICE_FLAG":"Y","CODE_NM_CATE":"Performance","CODE_ENG_NM":"","LINK_URL":"","SERVICE_YMD":"2025-04-17","VIEW_YN":"Y","SUB_TITLE":"Riding standout 2024, soloists Lee You-rim, Lim Sun-u soar into 2025 with a story of romance, regret and redemption","SUMMARY":"Few works in the classical ballet canon are as enduring or as emotionally charged as \u201CGiselle.\u201D A quintessential romantic masterpiece, the ballet tells the story of a beautiful peasant girl named Giselle, who falls in love with a nobleman in disguise, Albrecht, only to die of heartbreak upon discovering he is betrothed to another. While the first act is filled with youthful first love, celebration and a radiant atmosphere, the second act marks a dramatic shift, unfolding at Giselle\u2019s grave, stee","SERVICE_MM":"04","SERVICE_DD":"17","WRITERS":"Hwang Dong-hee","CONTENT_ATTR":"1","TITLE":"Interview: Rising ballet stars step into tragedy of 'Giselle'","CODE_GRADE":"M","REG_ID":"2022013","SERVICE_MD":"04-17","SERVICE_DAYTIME":"2025-04-17 17:50:28","CODE_NM":"Herald Interview"}] Herald Interview A series of in-depth interviews. Subscribe + Would you like to subscribe? Yes No
Korea Herald
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Universal Ballet brings 'Giselle' in spring run
Ballerino Jeon Min-chul to perform as Albrecht before joining Mariinsky Universal Ballet will present "Giselle," one of the most beloved romantic ballets, at the Seoul Arts Center's Opera Theater from April 18 to 27. A timeless tale of love, betrayal and devotion beyond death, "Giselle" follows the tragic love story of a beautiful peasant girl, Giselle, and a nobleman in disguise, Albrecht. When his true identity is revealed, Giselle is driven to madness and dies of heartbreak. The ballet's libretto was written by 19th-century French poet Theophile Gautier, inspired by a passage in Heinrich Heine's "De l'Allemagne" (On Germany) about the mythical Wilis -- spirits of maidens who died before their weddings. The choreography is by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot, with music composed by Adolphe Adam. Premiered in France in 1841, "Giselle" was first introduced to Korean audiences in 1985 by Universal Ballet. The production is celebrated as a cornerstone of the ballet blanc, or white ballet, tradition, where ballerinas dressed in flowing white costumes create an ethereal aesthetic. The second act, featuring the corps de ballet as the Wilis -- the ghostly spirits of maidens betrayed by their lovers -- is particularly renowned for its floating, otherworldly ambience. For this run, seven different principal pairs will take the stage over 11 performances. Ballerino Jeon Min-chul, who is set to join the Mariinsky Ballet, will perform with Universal Ballet's principal dancer Hong Hyang-gee in an exclusive performance on April 20. Jeon made his full-length ballet debut as Solor in Universal Ballet's production of "La Bayadere" in September last year. Universal Ballet will take "Giselle" on tour, with performances in Ulsan (March 21-22), Sejong (March 28-29), Goyang, Gyeonggi Province (April 5-6) and Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province (May 2-3).
