PHOTOS: One Dance, a modern reinterpretation of Joseon royal ritual dance (5)

Dancers perform during a media showcase of the Korean traditional dance performance “One Dance” at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on August 21 2025 AJP Han Jun-gu — Dancers perform during a media showcase of the Korean traditional dance performance “One Dance” at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on August 21, 2025. AJP Han Jun-gu

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - A media showcase for One Dance, a contemporary Korean dance performance, was held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. The performance reimagines Ilmu, the ritual dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, which is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Jongmyo Jeryeak refers to the music, song, and dance performed during ancestral rites at Jongmyo, a royal shrine honoring the spirit tablets of kings and queens from the Joseon Dynasty. Among them, the dance segment is called Ilmu, meaning “line dance,” as dancers move in coordinated rows.

On stage, up to 49 performers present a powerful group choreography, allowing audiences to experience Korea’s cultural richness through synchronized visuals and sound. The performance runs for 70 minutes.

Korean traditional dance performance “One Dance” AJP Han Jun-gu — Korean traditional dance performance “One Dance”/ AJP Han Jun-gu

Han Jun-gu jungu141298@ajupress.com