Korean dance unfolds as a conversation between history and the present in Muon: Dance, Seeping In, the latest production by dancer and choreographer Song-i Wi. Spanning seven works—from royal court repertoire and folk traditions to newly created choreography—the evening explores how inherited forms continue to shape contemporary performance. Rather than presenting tradition as a fixed legacy, the production reveals it as a living art that continues to evolve through the artists who perform it today.
Presented on July 24 at the Pungryu Sarangbang of the National Gugak Center, the performance is structured as a continuous artistic journey rather than a chronological survey of Korean dance. Ritual, elegance, musicality and renewal unfold across the evening, linking historical repertory with contemporary creative practice.
Song-i Wi has built her career by moving seamlessly between the studio and the archive. Alongside her work as a performer and choreographer, she has published research on court dance reconstruction, the artistic legacy of Seong-jun Han and traditional choreographic practice. She currently leads Muon Dance Lab, heads the Seoul branch of the Byeong-cheon Park Style Jindo Drum Dance Preservation Society and teaches at the Korea National University of Arts.
The program opens with Musanhyang, a refined royal court dance created by Crown Prince Hyo-myeong in 1828 during the reign of King Sunjo. Performed atop the ceremonial Daemoban platform, the reconstructed work reflects the precision and restraint that define Korea's court dance tradition while demonstrating its enduring relevance on today's stage.
From there, the performance shifts inward with Salpuri, danced by Hye-sun Lee in the lineage of Seong-jun Han and Seon-young Kang. Through restrained movement, measured breathing and the flowing motion of a white scarf, the work expresses emotional depth with remarkable subtlety.
The atmosphere expands with Taepyeongmu, performed by Song-i Wi alongside Soo-hyeon Jeong. Designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, the dance combines regal costume, intricate footwork and layered rhythmic structures into an expression of peace, prosperity and ceremonial grace.
Music takes center stage in Daepungnyu, performed by Jin-wook Kim, Gye-jeon Park, Yong-ha Kim, Jeong-chan Bae, Dong-yoon Song and Chang-hoon Lee. Built around the traditional Samhyeonyukgak wind ensemble, the performance functions not merely as accompaniment but as an independent musical statement that reveals the soundscape underlying Korean dance.
The evening gains new momentum with Song-i Wi's solo performance of Jindo Drum Dance, a work developed by master Byeong-cheon Park from regional drumming traditions on Jindo Island. Alternating between explosive rhythmic energy and disciplined control, the dance highlights the remarkable physicality and improvisational spirit that have made it one of Korea's signature folk performance traditions.
The sixth program features Sinyeon Matchi from the classic pansori epic Chunhyangga, performed by vocalist Jae-hyun Lee. Depicting the arrival of the newly appointed magistrate Byeon Hak-do, the episode marks a dramatic turning point while showcasing the expressive storytelling at the heart of Korea's vocal tradition.
The performance concludes with Pulrim: Releasing What Was Bound, choreographed by Song-i Wi with co-choreographer Myeong-seo Gu and music director Jeong-chan Bae. Drawing inspiration from the Jindo Ssitgimgut ritual, the contemporary work transforms ritual paper offerings and drum dance into a meditation on healing, release and renewal, bringing the evening to a close with a forward-looking interpretation of traditional aesthetics.
Rather than separating scholarship from performance, Muon allows each to enrich the other. Historical research informs choreography without becoming academic demonstration, while performance breathes new life into traditions that continue to find meaning on the contemporary stage.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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