[Review] Korean Traditional Dance Performances
in Costa Rica, Peru
The KF presented traditional Korean dances in Costa Rica and Peru in May in cooperation with the Gyeonggi Provincial Dance Company and the Korean embassies in the two countries. In Costa Rica, performances were held at the National Theater in San José on May 21 and at the Alajuela Municipal Theater in Alajuela on May 23. In Peru, the event was held at Lima’s San Agustin Theater on May 26.
The audiences enjoyed a wide repertoire of traditional Korean dances including Buchae-chum, a fan dance; Janggu-chum, a dance using the double-headed drum; Ganggangsullae, a women’s circle dance; and Nong-ak, the farmers’ dance. Many of those in attendance said that they were touched by the special performances, with some remarking that the renditions had left them speechless.
The events were an important opportunity to share the beauty of Korean tradition with the Latin American audiences in a region where familiarity with Korean performance is often limited to the modern-day Hallyu, the Korean Wave, driven by K-pop and TV dramas.