Choi Tae-ji Returns as Director of National Ballet
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Choi Tae-ji, 48, the former director of Chongdong Theater, is once again expected to head the Korea National Ballet. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Thursday that Choi is likely to start next year, as it announced the heads of three national art organizations. The former ballerina held the post from 1996 to 2001.
``My passion has always been ballet. I thought I had to accomplish something here,'' she said. ``I want to give everything that I have learned to the younger generation, and also want to open a new road for them.''
Although Choi had another year left as the director of Chungdong Theater, she resigned and listed her name as one of the candidates for the ballet director post. Choi was renowned for her natural ability to discover fresh and talented newcomers, such as ballerino Lee Won-kuk and ballerinas Kim Joo-won and Kim Ji-won, in her first stint as director of the ballet. She also introduced high-level repertoires and contributed to creating a ``ballet boom'' here.
Choi was born in Kyoto, Japan and was the principal ballerina of the Japan's Kitami City School of Ballet, before coming to Korea to become a principal ballerina and director at the national ballet. Choi was also the first Korean to be appointed as a judge of the Switzerland Lausanne Concours and Russia Benois de la Danse.
In related news, Jung Eun-sook, 61, will assume her third general-directorship at the National Opera of Korea, the ministry said.