INCHEON, South Korea—Renowned Korean actress of television dramas, including My Daughter Seo-young, Jumong, Queen Seondeok, and Winter Sonata, and the chairperson of the Incheon Film Association, Song Oksuk, watched Shen Yun Performing Arts’ final performance at the Incheon Culture & Arts Center on April 14.
“Shen Yun is like a wonderful present,” said Ms. Song. “I feel honored to have the opportunity to see such rich and diverse content in one show.”
Ms. Song, who has received numerous awards for her performances in television dramas, said that the effort put into Shen Yun is difficult for the average person to imagine. “The performance had storylines, rich content, and unique character. They put a lot of effort into the show. It is really impressive.”
She added, “There were a large number of performers in the show. The performance was very elegant, and the costumes exquisite and charming. I can hardly express my amazement through words. I thought, ‘how much training did these dancers need to go through to reach such a realm?’ It is an amazing thing to be able to watch Shen Yun’s performance here.”
“Because I am an actor, the program When Shaolin Monks Protected the Emperor had a lasting impression on me,“ said Ms. Song. ”The plot content was a lot like a drama, with comedy elements like the little monks catching the rabbit. That was all great.”
Ms. Song also praised the presentation of classical Chinese dance in the show, saying, “I didn’t know until today that gymnastics originated from classical Chinese dance. Shen Yun’s performance is such a wondrous combination of arts and energy that I wanted to start dancing myself. The show encompasses all aspects of entertainment and artistry. I am amazed.”
“The dance The Great Han also had a lasting impression on me. As actors, it is easy for us to tell whether a show has been roughly slapped together or carefully crafted and perfected. Shen Yun’s performance, including the orchestra, has over 100 artists, and they must have put in incredible effort, for all the performers had their hearts in one place and exhibited incredible energy.
“The performers have trained for a long time. The synchronized high-level techniques that they exhibit blend perfectly with their beautiful dance moves. The coordination within the performance touched me,” she said.
Ms. Song, who is also an ambassador for the Korean Drama Festival, believes that Shen Yun not only presents the culture of the Han ethnicity but the spirit of divine tradition through ethnic minority dances. “Every ethnicity has its own diverse culture, along with its traditional clothing and colors,” she said. “Although China is mainly ethnic Han, Shen Yun has captured the cultural essence of a variety of ethnic groups in China and presents them as a whole.”
Ms. Song remarked that Shen Yun will have a lasting effect on her acting career. “As actors, we need to watch and learn. After seeing Shen Yun’s performance, we will come away with more fulfilled souls, and these experiences will eventually show.” She humorously added, “If I need to dance in one of my future acting roles, I might even try some of Shen Yun’s dance movements.”
Ms. Song concluded by saying, “Shen Yun’s performance has widespread traditional Chinese culture and the essence of beauty. I was astonished and touched by the performance. This is a beautiful show that is a wonderful gift. I hope that everyone will be able to see Shen Yun.”
Read the original Chinese article.
Reporting by Dai Deman and Virginia Wu
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
