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A hope for Korea’s Wuppertal

Published: 23 Apr. 2025, 00:05

Kim Myung-hwa

The author is a playwright and director.

There is a small city in Germany called Wuppertal. I have never visited it, but its name has stayed with me vividly, thanks to the late German choreographer Pina Bausch.

Before she became a global icon of contemporary dance, it was Wuppertal — a city of fewer than 400,000 residents — that invited Bausch to lead its local ballet company. There, she developed a groundbreaking form of performance that blended dance and theater into what came to be known as Tanztheater. The company was later renamed Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, sealing the bond between the artist and the city.

A scene from Nefes, performed by Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. [TANZTHEATER WUPPERTAL]

The troupe's work revolutionized the contemporary performance landscape and reached audiences around the world. Among its most acclaimed undertakings was the "City Series," in which major world cities became the thematic core of individual productions. Seoul featured in one of them: "Rough Cut," commissioned by LG Arts Center.

One work in particular remains etched in my memory — "Nefes," set in Istanbul. It captured the essence of what the human body can express through performance. The fluidity of water evoking the Bosphorus Strait, the interplay between male and female, East and West — all came together in spellbinding harmony. Nefes, meaning “breath” in Turkish, offered a tranquil yet powerful immersion. I remember sitting in the audience, breathing deeply, wholly absorbed by the beauty on stage.

As Korea enters a new election cycle, some presidential candidates are once again pledging to designate Sejong as the nation’s administrative capital. These debates often center on governance and infrastructure. But decentralization should extend beyond politics — it should encompass culture as well.

In the theater world, regional public companies are presenting a series of noteworthy productions this spring. The Gyeonggi Provincial Theater Company is staging a series of original plays. The North Chungcheong Provincial Theater Company has taken on "A Midsummer Night’s Tempest," and the Incheon Municipal Theater Company is presenting "Flame." These works are directed by seasoned artists who now serve as artistic directors at their respective regional companies.

These are not isolated events but signs of a maturing regional arts ecosystem. As these efforts accumulate, they may give rise to sustainable artistic foundations outside the capital. We may not yet have our Wuppertal, but it is something to hope for.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.