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Korea Herald
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Demon boy band? These ballet dancers had already cast their spell
Breakout team behind sold-out show mixed heritage with ballet, and struck a chord In the first half of this year, no ballet in Korea stirred up more buzz than 'Gat,' a 70-minute contemporary ballet inspired by traditional Korean hats. Created by the newly established Yunbyul Ballet Company, 'Gat' completed a six-city national tour, selling out every seat along the way — a rare feat for a fledgling company barely a year old. The second run, following its 2024 premiere, drew a wave of fans eager to see the ballerinos who rose to stardom through Mnet's hit dance competition "Stage Fighter." But the excitement didn't stop there. Following the global success of Netflix's animated film 'KPop Demon Hunters,' social media users began drawing comparisons between the film's fictional boy band, the Saja Boys, and the five ballerinos in "Gat." Their playful curtain call — a nod to the demon boy band's signature poses — brought this ghostly ballet back into the spotlight, racking up 1.94 million views on Instagram. At the center of it all are two rising creatives — choreographer Park So-yun and Yun Byul, her longtime dance partner and the company's founder. 'This year, with the national tour and everything, we've been overwhelmed — incredibly busy, but just really happy,' the pair said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. The unexpected journey, they recalled, began with something simple, but with a twist: A ballerina wearing a gat. Ballerinas wearing gat The spark came in 2019 with Netflix's 'Kingdom,' the Korean zombie thriller set in the Joseon era, which ignited a global fascination with traditional Korean hats. Historically, gat refers to a wide range of hat styles worn according to one's social class, profession, or a particular occasion. What's commonly recognized today as gat — the tall, black, wide-brimmed hat — is called "heungnip," traditionally worn by "seonbi," or male scholars. 'But what if a ballerina wore gat?' said Park. 'I thought the strong cultural significance associated with the male seonbi and their virtues would be intriguing when worn by a woman.' Park had long been collecting choreographic ideas, knowing that her debut as a choreographer would take a deeply Korean form. During a casual bus ride with Yun, she shared her concept. As it happened, Yun was organizing a gala. 'I immediately said, 'Let's do it,'' Yun recalled. 'I loved the idea of combining ballet with gat, and I trusted Park could make it work.' The result was an eight-minute group piece for female dancers that premiered in 2021: On the stage, the ballerinas tiptoe slowly with dignified restraint. Their upright posture, accentuated by the hats and en pointe technique, evokes the image of calligraphy brushes or ghostly, Korean-style grim reapers moving through fog. From wanderer's satgat to bride's jokduri From that short piece, 'Gat' naturally expanded into a 70-minute production composed of nine vignettes, each inspired by distinct headwear. Park selected hats with the most vivid imagery. The red jurip worn by Joseon-era military officers becomes a majestic portrait of a female general in a gender-swapping segment. A wide straw "satgat" tells the tale of a lone wanderer, while the humble "paeraengi" (a commoner's hat) becomes a rhythmic, playful dance of traveling merchants. The "jokduri," a delicate bridal coronet, captures the shyness and excitement of a woman before her wedding. One standout scene and a major factor behind the show's success features the "jeongjagwan" (a tall, pointed hat with an upward-curving structure) traditionally associated with fussy schoolmasters or folktale villains like Nolbu. Usually worn indoors by noblemen, it carries strong connotations of wealth and pride. In this segment, three male dancers swagger across the stage, puffing on long pipes. 'Here, I wanted something with arrogant flair — a little hunched, a little mocking, like they don't care. That energy shaped the movement,' said Park. Yet Park encourages audiences to not seek one 'correct' interpretation. 'Even though I created this with specific images in mind, I hope people imagine their own stories. Maybe one scene feels a little sad, or a dancer carries their own story — that imaginative freedom is what makes it fun.' Credit for the company's rising profile also goes to a savvy blend of dance films and active social media. 'It's a turbulent time in the dance world. Dancers can go viral overnight but attention fades just as fast,' said Yun. 'I've performed in nearly empty theaters and in front of thousands. I believe good marketing and good artistry must go hand in hand — each supporting and enhancing the other.' With their debut production a breakout hit, Yun and Park are now focused on shaping their company's identity and brand. 'As a choreographer, I want to challenge the notion that contemporary ballet is boring or inaccessible,' said Park, adding that the most rewarding feedback came from first-time balletgoers. 'People often think only classical ballet sells. But I believe new works like this can actually be more welcoming to audiences who are new to ballet.' Yun said founding his own company led him to let go of the self-focused mindset and start viewing the performance as a cohesive whole. 'Running a company feels like the tycoon game I used to play when I was young,' Yun said. 'The smallest decisions can change everything. How you speak to dancers, the costumes, marketing, show length, venue -- every detail shapes the final outcome.' 'And when the audience recognizes that dedication, it brings a whole new level of fulfillment for us as creators,' they said. The duo's shared goal is captured in the company's motto: 'It's not how much you see. It's how deeply you see.' 'We plan to keep experimenting and continue creating something that is truly our own.' In the coming months, Park will return to the stage as both dancer and choreographer in 'Developpe,' a ballet gala blending original and classical works, at Guro Arts Valley on Aug. 2. Meanwhile, the 'Gat' segment featuring the jeongjagwan will be performed this Saturday at the Jeju International Dance Festival, with a full 'Gat' tour planned for next year.
Korea Herald
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Old hats in new style: How ‘Gat' became ballet sensation
(for online headline: Demon boy band? These ballet dancers had already cast their spell) Breakout team behind sold-out show mixed heritage with ballet, and struck a chord In the first half of this year, no ballet in Korea stirred up more buzz than 'Gat,' a 70-minute contemporary ballet inspired by traditional Korean hats. Created by the newly established Yunbyul Ballet Company, 'Gat' completed a six-city national tour, selling out every seat along the way -- a rare feat for a fledgling company barely a year old. The second run, following its 2024 premiere, drew a wave of fans eager to see the ballerinos who rose to stardom through Mnet's hit dance competition "Stage Fighter." But the excitement didn't stop there. Following the global success of Netflix's animated film 'KPop Demon Hunters,' social media users began drawing comparisons between the film's fictional boy band, the Saja Boys, and the five ballerinos in "Gat." Their playful curtain call -- a nod to the demon boy band's signature poses -- brought this ghostly ballet back into the spotlight, racking up 1.94 million views on Instagram. At the center of it all are two rising creatives -- choreographer Park So-yun and Yun Byul, her longtime dance partner and the company's founder. 'This year, with the national tour and everything, we've been overwhelmed -- incredibly busy, but just really happy,' the pair said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. The unexpected journey, they recalled, began with something simple, but with a twist: a ballerina wearing gat. Ballerinas wearing gat The spark came in 2019 with Netflix's 'Kingdom,' the Korean zombie thriller set in the Joseon era, which ignited a global fascination with traditional Korean hats. Historically, gat refers to a wide range of hat styles worn according to one's social class, profession, or a particular occasion. What's commonly recognized today as gat -- the tall, black, wide-brimmed hat -- is called heungnip, traditionally worn by seonbi, or male scholars. 'But what if a ballerina wore gat?' said Park. 'I thought the strong cultural significance associated with the male seonbi and their virtues would be intriguing when worn by a woman.' Park had long been collecting choreographic ideas, knowing that her debut as a choreographer would take a deeply Korean form. During a casual bus ride with Yun, she shared her concept. As it happened, Yun was organizing a gala. 'I immediately said, 'Let's do it,'' Yun recalled. 'I loved the idea of combining ballet with gat, and I trusted Park could make it work.' The result was an eight-minute group piece for female dancers that premiered in 2021: On the stage, the ballerinas tiptoe slowly with dignified restraint. Their upright posture, accentuated by the hats and en pointe technique, evokes the image of calligraphy brushes or ghostly grim reapers slicing through fog. From wanderer's satgat to bride's jokduri From that short piece, 'Gat' naturally expanded into a 70-minute production composed of nine vignettes, each inspired by distinct headwear. Park selected hats with the most vivid imagery. The red jurip worn by Joseon-era military officers becomes a majestic portrait of a female general in a gender-swapping segment. A wide straw satgat tells the tale of a lone wanderer, while the humble paeraengi (a commoner's hat) becomes a rhythmic, playful dance of traveling merchants. The jokduri, a delicate bridal coronet, captures the shyness and excitement of a woman before her wedding. One standout scene and a major factor behind the show's success features the jeongjagwan (a tall, pointed hat with an upward-curving structure) traditionally associated with fussy schoolmasters or folktale villains like Nolbu. Usually worn indoors by noblemen, it carries strong connotations of wealth and pride. In this segment, three male dancers swagger across the stage, puffing on long pipes. 'Here, I wanted something with arrogant flair -- a little hunched, a little mocking, like they don't care. That energy shaped the movement,' said Park. Yet Park encourages audiences to not seek one 'correct' interpretation. 'Even though I created this with specific images in mind, I hope people imagine their own stories. Maybe one scene feels a little sad, or a dancer carries their own story -- that imaginative freedom is what makes it fun.' Credit for the company's rising profile also goes to a savvy blend of dance films and active social media. 'It's a turbulent time in the dance world. Dancers can go viral overnight but attention fades just as fast,' said Yun. 'I've performed in nearly empty theaters and in front of thousands. I believe good marketing and good artistry must go hand in hand -- each supporting and enhancing the other.'
Korea Herald
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Interview: In 'Life of Ballerino,' men dance their dazzles and struggles
Male dancers from 'Stage Fighter' step into the spotlight with 'Life of Ballerino' It felt more like a K-pop concert. With every leap and turn, cheers erupted from the audience, applause ringing out as if they were watching their favorite idols on stage. But this wasn't a pop spectacle — it was a ballet. That kind of visceral reaction is rare in the world of classical ballet. Yet a handful of male dancers from Mnet's hit dance survival show 'Stage Fighter' have not only broken through, but in doing so, have drawn renewed attention to the artistry and presence of the ballerino. And at just the right moment, the show's ballet mentor, dancer-turned-choreographer Ryu Hoi-woong, brought together five performers from the show — Kang Gyeong-ho, Kim Kyung-won, Kim Tae-seok, Shin Min-kwon and Jung Sung-wook — all alumni of Korea National University of Arts, also known as K-Arts. Along with some 20 other dancers from the K-Arts Ballet Company, they took the stage in 'Life of Ballerino: Dreamer,' earlier in June at the Seoul Arts Center as part of the Ballet Festival Korea. When most people think of ballet, Ryu noted, they picture tutus and pointe shoes — a ballerina balanced en pointe, held aloft by her male counterpart. But 'Life of Ballerino' challenges that narrative. Here, the men step out from the wings. The spotlight, for once, is theirs. 'When I first created this piece, I simply wanted to tell our story — the story of ballerinos. We prepare for the stage with just as much passion and discipline as ballerinas, and I wanted that to be visible here,' said Ryu, speaking to The Korea Herald. Tracing the journey of ballerinos in pursuit of their dreams, the performance opens in the rehearsal studio, with dancers gripping the barre, then unfolds through a series of loosely structured yet theatrically driven episodes. The storyline is simple, accessible, and crafted with wit and clarity to engage audiences new to ballet. 'My top priority was making the story approachable. I didn't want first-time balletgoers to sit there thinking, 'What is this? What does it mean?' I wanted them to understand intuitively, and to feel, 'Hey, this isn't so different from our own lives.'' The ballet dazzles with a large ensemble of male dancers performing high-energy group choreography, technical solos showcasing a variety of jumps and turns, and a buoyant, energetic tone throughout. Several scenes highlight how a five-minute competition score can determine everything — from university admission to military service. That sense of relatability deeply resonated with the young dancers themselves. '(Dancers) really give it their all. They love the piece because there's no single lead; it's all of us dancing together. Even if someone makes a mistake, we say, 'Hey, that's part of the story too.'' Originally premiered in 2019 as a small-scale production, 'Life of Ballerino' is a rare example of an original ballet that has evolved into a sustained repertory piece with growing popularity, according to BAFEKO. It was restaged as a 60-minute piece at the CJ Towol Theater in 2023 and this year was selected for the festival's official program. Ryu, who had been a member of the Korean National Ballet in his mid-20s, left the company in 2008 when he was cast in his dream role as the magical cat Mr. Mistoffelees in the musical 'Cats.' While performing the role in 2008–09 and again in 2011, he steadily built his career as a choreographer. 'I never imagined ballet would stay with me this long,' he said. 'Honestly, I didn't have a long career as a ballerino — I even quit ballet at one point. But somehow, I keep coming back. I'm choreographing, teaching, working on my own projects. It's a bit amusing how things have turned out.' Ballet, for Ryu, has become like an old friend. 'It's definitely my best friend. Like visiting your parents' house, you might leave, but you always come back. Sometimes you argue, sometimes you drift apart, but in the end, it's always there when you need it.' And from that friendship, new works are born. This October, Ryu will premiere a new choreography with the Seoul Metropolitan Ballet, featured in a double bill alongside Hans van Manen. 'I'm not someone who waits around worrying about the outcome or how people will judge. Instead, I think, 'Let's just try it.' Because of that, I tend to be the type to move forward,' said Ryu. 'Life as a ballerino is short, and the time to shine is limited, which is why taking chances and embracing the moment is so important.' hwangdh@
