Paris Opera Ballet's Korean principal Park Sae-eun to lead gala performance in Seoul

Dancers and choreographers participating in the Overseas Korean Dance Stars Invitational Gala pose during a press conference, July 27. From left are Yang Jong-ye, Yoon Seo-hoo, Cho Joo-hyun, Heo Yong-soon, Choi Soo-jung and Jung Seo-hyun. Courtesy of International Performing Arts Project

By Hankookilbo

• Published Jul 29, 2026 12:05 AM KST

POB's first Asian principal among several overseas Korean dancers on local stages this summer

As noted by Cho Joo-hyun, artistic director of the 23rd Overseas Korean Dance Stars Invitational Gala, the homeland holds a special meaning for Korean dancers performing on the world's leading stages.

This summer, Korean ballet artists from prestigious international companies will return home to present the artistry they have honed abroad to domestic audiences. Drawing on networks built through their international careers, they are also bringing some of the world's top dancers to Korea, highlighting the rising global stature of Korean ballet.

This year's Overseas Korean Dance Stars Invitational Gala will be held July 29 at Eumseong Culture & Arts Center in North Chungcheong Province and Aug. 1-2 at Naru Arts Center in Seoul.

Yoon Seo-hoo, a "sujet," or soloist, with the Paris Opera Ballet (POB), Jung Seo-hyun of Germany's Semperoper Ballet Dresden and Choi Soo-jung, a soloist with Leipzig Ballet, will perform in Korea for the first time since launching their overseas careers.

"It is both exciting and nerve-racking to finally perform in Korea for the first time after 10 years with the company," Yoon said.

Choi, who has been dancing in Germany since 2017, said, "Just being able to dance in front of my parents, friends and Korean audiences is something very special."

Yoon will perform dance duets from Rudolf Nureyev's "Raymonda" and "Swan Lake" — works that embody the artistic identity of the POB. Choi will present the Korean premieres of the duet from Uwe Scholz's "The Creation," one of the choreographer's signature works that helped elevate the Leipzig Ballet to international prominence, and "Souvenir," choreographed by Vincenzo Timpa.

The event will also feature works by Korean choreographers active overseas.

Choreographer Heo Yong-soon, who has worked extensively with dance companies around the world and was one of the performers at the inaugural edition of the gala, will present the world premiere of "One Plus One (1+1)," created for Jung Seo-hyun. He will also present a dance adapted from his ballet adaptation of "Anna Karenina."

In addition to ballet, the program includes butoh, an avante-garde form of contemporary dance from Japan. Yang Jong-ye of the butoh company Dairakudakan will introduce "Summoning the Unknown X," a solo work that won the Grand Prix at this year's Tokyo SAI Choreography Competition, to Korean audiences.

Park Sae-eun's 'Étoile's Curation'

"Étoiles of Our Time 2026," curated by Paris Opera Ballet étoile Park Sae-eun, will be staged four times at the Seoul Arts Center from July 29 to Aug. 2.

Since 2023, Park has not only performed in the gala but also taken charge of selecting dancers, curating the program and negotiating performance rights. This year, she has expanded the program beyond the Paris Opera Ballet to include Italy's La Scala Ballet and New York City Ballet.

Nicoletta Manni, the only female "étoile" — the highest rank of dancer — at La Scala Ballet, principal dancer Timofej Andrijashenko, and New York City Ballet principals Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia will all make their first appearances in Korea, presenting works representative of their companies.

"I wanted to introduce Korean audiences not only to French ballet but also to the unique styles of ballet companies from different countries," Park said.

That vision is reflected throughout the program, which brings French classical ballet, Balanchine-style American neoclassical works and Italy's refined technical tradition together on one stage.

The repertoire includes Nureyev's "Romeo and Juliet," "Don Quixote," "Swan Lake" and "La Bayadère," alongside Roland Petit's "Carmen," Benjamin Millepied's "Night Falls" and David Dawson's "On the Nature of Daylight," offering a blend of classical and contemporary ballet.

A particular highlight is the world premiere of "Moonlight," a new solo ballet choreographed by Jean-Guillaume Bart for Park. Peck and Mejia of New York City Ballet will perform Jerome Robbins' "Other Dances," while Manni and Andrijashenko of La Scala Ballet will present "Caravaggio" and "Grand Pas Classique."

The wave of internationally active Korean dancers returning home will continue throughout the summer.

The Seoul Metropolitan Ballet's "Death and the Maiden" (Aug. 14-16) will feature guest appearances by Kang Hyo-jung, principal dancer with Semperoper Ballet Dresden, and Lee Sang-eun, principal dancer with English National Ballet.

Meanwhile, Universal Ballet's "Swan Lake" (Aug. 14-23) will feature Jeon Min-cheol, first soloist with the Mariinsky Ballet.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.