Top Ballerina Disciplined Over Naked Photos
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
A Korean top ballerina was disciplined because her nude photos were published in a local fashion magazine.
Kim Joo-won, a top ballerina with Korea National Ballet, will have a third of her salary deducted this month, decided on by a disciplinary committee composed of six senior members of the national institute.
The committee said the 29-year-old dancer did not abide by a provision calling for every dancer belonging to the institute to give advance notification before engaging in any outside artistic or commercial contracts.
But it took into account her exemplary past attitude and high reputation overseas in metering out the somewhat moderate punishment
``I agreed to be photoed nude in the hope of boosting awareness of art among the public,'' Kim said. ``But now I regret causing all the trouble.''
The disciplinary action taken by the national ballet organization faced a backlash from the artistic circle here. ``This decision can suppress the freedom of expression that should be guaranteed to artists including ballerinas,'' said supporters of the disgraced ballet dancer. ``In foreign countries, there are many cases of dancers having naked photos taken and some have even done performances topless.''
Kim is one of Korea's world-class ballerinas along with Kang Sue-jin, now showing off her outstanding talent at Germany-based Stuttgart Ballet.
Kim won a prize given for the best female performer at Benois de la Danse in 2006.
Currently, she is preparing for a performance set to be staged from Wednesday.