Minister Choi Hwee Young Sends Congratulatory Message to Bessie Award-Winning "Ilmu" Choreographers: "A Great Step Forward"

On January 22, Hwee Young Choi, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, sent a congratulatory message to choreographers Jung Hyejin, Kim Sunghoon, and Kim Jaeduck, who won the Outstanding Choreographer/Creator Award at the 41st New York Dance and Performance Awards (Bessie Awards), expressing his congratulations and encouragement.

Choreographers Jung Hyejin, Kim Sunghoon, and Kim Jaeduck received the honor for their work "Ilmu," a signature piece of the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theater. "Ilmu" is a modern reinterpretation of the ceremonial dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, Korea's first National Intangible Cultural Heritage and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Hwee Young Choi, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Minister Choi stated, "The artistry and contemporaneity demonstrated through 'Ilmu' on the world-renowned stage in New York deeply moved audiences both at home and abroad. 'Ilmu' is especially meaningful as it represents a new cultural heritage of our era, reinterpreting Jongmyo Jeryeak, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with a modern sensibility." He continued, "Your achievement is a significant step in showcasing the excellence of our traditional arts and the creative capacity of Korean dance to the world. Together with the people of Korea, I look forward to your choreography becoming a new language in the global dance community and will continue to support you."

Founded in 1984, the New York Dance and Performance Awards is a prestigious competition in the fields of contemporary dance and performance art, annually selecting the most artistic and innovative works and artists among those staged in New York, United States.

The Bessie Awards selection committee described "Ilmu" as "a visually captivating and modern reinterpretation of Korean traditional ritual dance," adding, "It achieved a perfect balance of stillness and motion, and reached its peak with explosive and dynamic movements," explaining their reasons for the selection.