Top ballet stars to grace Seoul stage in gala performance this January

Some of South Korea’s brightest ballet stars who have captivated audiences on the world’s top stages are set to unite for a special gala performance in Seoul in January.

The Global Ballet Star Gala, organized by the K-Global Ballet Institute, will be staged at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 11 and 12, bringing together a constellation of top-tier dancers who have risen to prominence in the world’s leading ballet companies.

At the forefront of the lineup is Park Sae-eun, an etoile with the Paris Opera Ballet, who is the first Asian dancer to have achieved the title of principal dancer at the prestigious ballet company.

Joining her are Choi Young-gyu, principal dancer with the Dutch National Ballet, and Chae Ji-young, principal dancer with the Boston Ballet.

Also performing are Jun Joon-hyuk, a soloist with The Royal Ballet in London; Park Sun-mi and Han Sung-woo, soloists with American Ballet Theatre; and Jeon Min-cheol, the latest ballet sensation here, who will join Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet in 2025, the second Korean ballerino to do so after Kim Ki-min.

The gala show will open with a contemporary ballet reinterpretation of the traditional Korean musical piece "Sujecheon" choreographed by Cho Joo-hyun.

Audiences can also look forward to highlights from William Forsythe’s modern masterpiece "Blake Works III: Buzzard & Kestrel" and George Balanchine’s iconic "Jewels: Diamonds Pas de Deux." For lovers of classical ballet, the program will include scenes from "Swan Lake," "Giselle" and "Sleeping Beauty."

The program varies for the two dates -- visit the Sejong Center's official website for details.