<Heo Nan Seol Heon–Su Wol Kyung Hwa>

Online streaming on the KNB YouTube Channel

Presented by the Korean Cultural Center New York,
Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C., and the Korean National Ballet

Friday, May 7, 8 pm ~ Sunday, May 9, 8 pm, 2021 (ET)
Korean National Ballet YouTube Channel

48 hours of free streaming
No Ticket or RSVP necessary

Korean Cultural Center New York & Washington, D.C. and the Korean National Ballet (KNB) co-present an online streaming of the original ballet <Heo Nan Seol Heon-Su Wol Kyung Hwa>.

Premiered in 2017, <Heo Nan Seol Heon-Su Wol Kyung Hwa> is a piece about Heo Nan Seol Heon’s life and her poems, who was a prominent Korean poetess of the mid-Joseon dynasty.

“Su Wol Kyung Hwa (水月鏡花)” is a four-character idiom that refers to the moonlight reflected on the water and a flower in the mirror. This denotes a poetic, intangible atmosphere, one that is visible but cannot be touched, and beautiful beyond description.

Heo Nan Seol Heon was a prominent Korean poetess of the mid-Joseon dynasty. Born in a time when women were not recognized for their talent, she lived a tragic life, wasting away from neglect by her husband, the fall from grace of her family, and the death of her two children in infancy. She predicted her own death with a poem. Springing up from the harsh realities of her life, her poetry is a clear expression of her genius. While not appreciated during her time, it later gained the attention it deserved.

Su Wol Kyung Hwa is a representation of two of her many poems, Gamu and Mongyu-Gwangsangsan, to reveal the hidden treasure of her poetry as well as her life that was both sad and beautiful.

Running Time: 60 Min
(The performance video was filmed in May, 2017 at CJ Towal Theater, Seoul Arts Center)

Premiere: May, 2017
Cast: Shin Seungwon
Choreography: Kang Hyohyung
Artistic Director: Kang Suejin

Photo by BAKi

▲About <Heo Nan Seol Heon-Su Wol Kyung Hwa>

Heo Nan Seol Heon (1563~1589) was a renowned poet in the Joseon Dynasty who was highly acclaimed even by her contemporaries at a time when it was impossible for a woman to gain recognition for her abilities. She wrote with a conviction about herself and her world.

Among the many poems that she left behind, two works, Gamu and Mongyu-Gwangsangsan, bloom again with the delicate touch of choreographer Kang Hyohyung. “The moon reflected in water, a flower reflected in a mirror” -- meaning, the things we can see with our eyes but cannot touch -- is a fitting title that conveys the impossibility of fully expressing the beauty of Heo Nan Seol Heon’s works.

Kang created an intensely beautiful drama by imagining leaves, birds, orchids, the sea, and hibiscus flowers that are featured in both poems into the movements of the dancers.

Some highlights of the performance include: the scene “Orchid” in which female dancers seem to “paint” themselves down a folding screen, and “Ocean,” where dancers embody the powerful waves of the beach at Gangneung, the hometown of Heo Nan Seol Heon, with their dynamic movements.

The final scene, “Hibiscus,” reflects the tragedy of her life that ended too soon at the young age of 27. Her life is likened to that of beautiful withering flowers, paired with melancholy music that will surely resonate with all audiences.

▲Choreographer: Kang Hyohyung

Graduated from Korea National University of Arts in 2010
Joined the KNB in 2009

2004 Special Prize,The Korea Ballet Association Dance Competition
2005 Sliver Prize, Dong-A Dance Competition
2006 Semi-Finalist, Varna International Ballet Competition
2008 1st Prize, Korea New Artist Dance Competition
2008 Finalist, Italy Premio Roma Dance Competition
2009 Gold Prize, Dong-A Dance Competition
2010 Minister Prize, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea
2017 Nominated for Best Choreographer, Benois de la Danse

▲Korean National Ballet

Artistic Director: Kang Suejin

Korean National Ballet is Korea’s first professional ballet company established in 1962 that embodies the history of Korean ballet. During its approximately 60 years of history, KNB has been widely recognized both at home and abroad thanks to its scores of committed dancers and choreographers as well as great art directors and impressive repertoire. Today, with about 60 of the country’s top ballet dancers and a repertoire of international masterpieces, the ballet company continues to reach out to audiences through regular performances and an array of special performances.

KNB’s major full-length ballet repertoire includes Yuri Grigorovich’s <Swan Lake>, <The Nutcracker>, <Spartacus> and <La Bayadère>; Patrice Bart’s <Giselle>; MárciaHaydée’s <Sleeping Beauty>; and John Cranko’s <The Taming of the Shrew>. With a range of other performances including Uwe Scholz’s <The Seventh Symphony>, Glen Tetley’s <The Rite of Spring>, George Balanchine’s <Serenade>, Christian Spuck’s <Anna Karenina> and Renato Zanella’s <Mata Hari>, KNB has been broadening its scope from classical ballet to modern, neo-classical and dramatic ballet.

KNB has also been striving to create a repertoire of original works such as <Prince Hodong> and <Heo Nan Seol Heon - Su Wol Kyung Hwa> inspired by a traditional Korean folk tale and classic poems, respectively. <Hoi Rang>, a new piece premiered in 2019, is another original work that renders a traditional Korean narrative through the movements of a Western dance form. The new show will demonstrate how much effort has been put into the creation of original Korean ballet works.

Since 2015, the ballet company has highlighted the “KNB Movement Series'' project to provide its dancers with an opportunity to showcase their choreographic talent. This project is significant not only as it supports the dancers as they start a new phase of their lives as choreographers but also enriches and expands KNB’s repertoire by further developing the pieces created by the dancers to become robust works that continue beyond the one-off showcase.

Also, to fulfill its mission of making ballet more accessible to the Korean public, KNB engages in a range of programs such as “Regional Performance Tours” and “Ballet Academy Tours” that bring ballet to every corner of the country. Furthermore, it has also performed around the world as the representative Korean ballet company, promoting the excellence of Korean culture and art to the entire world.