Korea: Shen Yun Performances in Daegu, Korea Inspire Artists

Onstage in Daegu, South Korea

Shen Yun performances involve arts beyond choreography and music, including costume design and the creation of computerised backdrops.

"The colours are so spectacular!"

As the beauty and magnificence of Shen Yun has widely spread by word of mouth in the Daegu area, Cho Do Hyeon, a painter and a member of an orchestra, came all the way from Daejeon to Daegu to see Shen Yun. After seeing the performance, she praised Shen Yun’s costumes, colours, lighting, and the innovative technical aspects of the performance. She exclaimed, "The colours are indeed so spectacular!"

As a painter and a member of the Pops Orchestra in Daejeon, Cho Do Hyeon came to see the show with over a dozen other people. Dressed in elegant ancient-style clothing, she looked beautiful and charming. She said that she saw Shen Yun last year and was once again overwhelmed by the show with this year's performance. She especially loved the programme Plum Blossom. She exclaimed, "It was so beautiful. ... Really beautiful. The plum blossoms were almost too beautiful to be true.”

As Ms. Cho is a painter, she has a keen eye for colour. She marvelled at the colours displayed on stage, saying, "The colours in the show were so magnificent. It was really very beautiful.”

Praising Shen Yun’s colourful presentation and splendid lighting, Ms. Cho said, "Usually the background of a stage is dark, so as to intensify the effect of other colours. But not only was the background of Shen Yun’s stage bright, but all the colours used on the stage were bright as well. It fully demonstrated the superb lighting techniques of Shen Yun."

Ms. Cho was also amazed by the classical Chinese dance, saying, "The male dancers’ performance was great, as it was full of vigor and vitality, and the female dancers were very graceful."

Ms. Cho said that after watching Shen Yun last year, she has become a fan of Shen Yun. "Marvelling at the magnificence of Shen Yun last year, I have introduced Shen Yun to all the people around me,” she added. She also said that if Shen Yun performed in Daejeon, it would cause an even bigger sensation.

“The design of the backdrop screen and the dancers onstage fuse to form a whole, with the dancers entering the backdrops.” - Ms. Gwak Mal Hui

Ms. Gwak Mal Hui was impressed with Shen Yun's excellence. “It enables me to experience the glory and magnificence of the traditional Chinese culture,” she said.

Ms. Gwak, a lady of great refinement, attended the Shen Yun show for the first time on her friend’s recommendation. After watching the first half of the show, she said, “The performance delighted me. Richness of traditional Chinese culture, powerful images of Mongolia’s horsemen galloping beneath blue skies, all of these are presented through the art of dance. Meanwhile, it enables me to experience the glory and magnificence of the traditional Chinese culture. In my opinion, classical Chinese dance is endowed with diversity of technique and charm.”

One of the features of the show that she really admired was the hi-tech backdrop. “The design of the backdrop screen and the dancers onstage fuse to form a whole, with the dancers entering the backdrops. This is my first time to see such a performance. How miraculous.”

She particularly enjoyed the dance Little Mischievous Monks, which is about life in an abbey that is not as boring as expected. The innocent and mischievous monks who enjoy their fun of cultivation are best interpreted by the lively and smart performance of male dancers . Fascinated by the performance, she praised it, saying, “Very vivid and interesting.”

The Shen Yun world tour strikes a chord with people of different races and from different countries, and appeals to audiences of all ages. Ms. Gwak hopes that such a good performance can be available for children who will definitely gain joy and benefit from it. “If kids are able to watch Shen Yun, that will be something very wonderful.”

“As a person who works for traditional art, I was very touched to see such a show, which so exquisitely reflects our inner world.”

Shen Yun Performing Arts has created a sensation in the Korean performing arts community, said an artist who saw the show in Daegu.

Dean of Haiyin Academy of Korean Traditional Music, Kim Myo Soon (left), attended Shen Yun’s second show in Daegu on January 22nd, 2011. After seeing the show, she said excitedly, “Shen Yun’s inner attraction is too beautiful to take in. It’s haunting in my mind. I think that in bringing to us so successful and outstanding a show, Shen Yun contributes a lot to our future work in the arts. After seeing the show, we will work harder to do better in our performances.”

“As a person who works for traditional art, I was very touched to see such a show, which so exquisitely reflects our inner world. In presenting a magnificent show, it really takes a great amount of effort. It is indeed because of the huge effort Shen Yun makes, that the performance can touch the whole world.” Ms. Kim said.

“We have performed in Western countries, too. We perform with our voice, so we are unable to have such graceful movements and backdrops. Shen Yun’s performance is very special. It’s colourful and gorgeous. Every movement is accompanied with a very beautiful melody. The fantastic backdrops are really very amazing and very beautiful.”

As some South Korean artists said that seeing Shen Yun has become a “required course” in the fields of arts, it is so for the traditional artist Kim Myo Soon. She saw Shen Yun last year and the year before. For the all new programmes brought by Shen Yun, Kim repeatedly expressed her gratitude.

“Thanks to the performers of Shen Yun for bringing us such wonderful traditional art and such a gorgeous performance. I feel very, very grateful to see such an excellent show. Thank you Shen Yun for giving us brand new works every year.”

Kim Myo Soon is a famous performer of Korean traditional music. She is also a representative of the Chinese wind and percussion instruments in South Mountain, Daegu and noted Korean celebrity (NO. 19 in the Association of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the head of Seon Chang, Daegu branch).