[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Dancer Kim Munsuk (photo), a member of the National Academy of Arts of Korea, passed away on the 27th at the age of 94.
She was a disciple of the late Jo Taekwon, who learned dance from Ishii Baku, along with the late Choi Seunghee, a pioneer of Korean modern dance, and introduced creative works different from traditional Korean dance, widely promoting modern dance that reflected Korean sentiments and the era's background.
She began dancing in 1947 by entering Ham Guibong's 'Joseon Education Dance Research Institute' and debuted in 1948 with 'Minuet.' She met Bang Seongok, known as Choi Seunghee's accompanist, from whom she learned dance and rhythm, settling into Korean dance. In 1953, she established the 'Kim Munsuk Dance Arts Academy,' successfully leading performances across various genres, from children's dance dramas to modern dance and Korean creative dance.
In 1968, she participated as a lead dancer of the Korean Folk Arts Troupe at the Mexico Olympic Arts Festival. She preserved and performed 'Gasahojeop,' designated as 'Myeongmu,' the posthumous work of her teacher and husband Jo Taekwon, while dedicating herself to nurturing future generations.
For these contributions, she received numerous awards including the Order of the Magnolia Medal in 1973, the Grand Prize in Dance at the Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations Awards (2000), the Korean Dance Association Dance Grand Prize (2002), the National Academy of Arts Award (2003), Teacher of the Year Award (2004), and the Bogwan Cultural Medal (2020).
The funeral is being held at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital Funeral Hall, Room 9, with the departure scheduled for 7 a.m. on the 30th.
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