Kim Ju-won, newly appointed director and artistic director of Korea National Ballet (left), and Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young [Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]
Kim Ju-won, newly appointed director and artistic director of Korea National Ballet (left), and Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young [Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

Kim Ju-won, a celebrated dancer who has led the Busan Opera House Ballet and the Korea Ballet Festival, has been appointed to head Korea National Ballet. Her term will run for three years.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Thursday that Kim, who serves as artistic director and president of the Korea Ballet Festival, has been named director and artistic director of Korea National Ballet.

A Busan native, Kim graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Russia before joining Korea National Ballet, where she rose to principal dancer and became one of the country's most beloved ballerinas. After retiring from the company, she served as an associate professor in the dance arts department at Sungshin Women's University, training the next generation of dancers, while also performing and choreographing original ballet productions that helped bring the art form to wider audiences. She currently serves as artistic director and president of the Korea Ballet Festival and artistic director of the Busan Opera House Ballet, expanding her role as an arts administrator. In 2006, she received the best female dancer award at the Benois de la Danse, one of the world's most prestigious dance honors.

Kim joined Korea National Ballet in 1998 and retired in 2012. With her appointment, she becomes the fourth director to have risen from within the company's ranks, following Choi Tae-ji, who served as the third and fifth director (1996–2001 and 2008–2013), Kim Geung-su, the fourth director (2002–2004), and Park In-ja, the fifth director (2005–2007).

Minister Choi Hwi-young said Kim "is an artist who grew alongside Korean ballet during her long tenure as a principal dancer at Korea National Ballet, and is the right person for the role, with well-rounded expertise in hands-on performance experience, education and arts administration." He added that he expects Kim's appointment to help Korea National Ballet "establish itself as a national arts company even more beloved by the public, and to contribute to broadening the base of ballet and strengthening its international competitiveness."


shee@heraldcorp.com