World renowned Korean dance troupe Didim performs onstage.

Bringing history to life through dance is one of the great joys of being an artistic director, says Kook Soo-ho, founder of world-famous Korean dance troupe Didim.

A famed musician, dancer and choreographer in his own right, Kook has dedicated most of his life to the art of traditional dance. Moreover, he loves sharing his passion with audiences not only in South Korea, but also throughout the world.

The multitalented director brought his Didim Dance Company to Vietnam in 1993 and also in 2002, with the second performance held to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Vietnam-South Korean relations.

Speaking with Thanh Nien recently, Kook said that during his trips he was very impressed with how devoted Vietnamese dancers are, adding that they embody the very “soul” of dance.

Born in 1948, Kook’s dance career has spanned nearly 45 years, and yet he shows no signs of slowing down. Exploring the art is a lifelong endeavor, he says.

“Even before reaching middle school, I enjoyed dancing in front of everyone else. I was a drummer in a band during middle school and also played the janggu (a traditional double-headed Korean drum) during high school, so I was accustomed with both Western and Korean traditional music beats and styles from an early age,” The Korea Times quotes Kook as saying.

By 1988, Kook had been instructing dance for over 20 years and had already traveled to 100 countries to introduce Korean dance. But Kook also realized the value of diversifying his skills and talent, and in university he turned to acting, took folklores courses, and finally became a member of the National Dance Company of Korea.

By developing his knowledge in this way, Kook felt he was on the path to reaching his ultimate goal of becoming a great dancer with a sound understanding of Korean dance theory and its roots.

In 1987, Kook established the Didim Dance Company, which specialized in traditional and modern dance. Didim was also unique in that it incorporated creative dance, drumming, and theater.

The troupe, including 35 full-time members and 20 part-time contributors, has now held more than 100 performances abroad, including shows in the US, UK, the Netherlands and Japan, and has performed over 1,000 times in Korea.

The highlight of Kook’s career came in 1988, when he was selected to serve as an artistic director for the Seoul Olympic Games. The successful event raised his profile even further and led to other opportunities such as the time he was chosen as a director for the 2002 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony.

Following the two major events, Kook says he realized his love for bringing history to life onstage.

“Bringing the murals from ancient tombs that were built 1,500-2,000 years ago to life is in itself a great fascination. Instead of the rather ‘dead’ artifacts presented in museums, this is the present tense, the past coming to life today. I studied everything, from clothes and movement to facial expressions and brought them onstage,” Kook was quoted as saying in the The Korean Times.

Yet as Kook tells Thanh Nien, only a small percentage of the Korean population truly appreciates the heritage of their unique and complex traditional dance. He says also that he admires Vietnamese traditional dancing and the country’s efforts to preserve the art form.

“I think the audience is only touched by the ardent emotions of the dancers,” Kook says. “When me and my troupe perform in foreign countries, I try to introduce [the art] to international friends and [convey] the quintessence of traditional Korean dance, though it is really hard to understand.”

Kook also says that for some young dancers, the appeal of modern dance may be stronger as it offers more immediate gratification. Traditional dance on the other hand, takes time to fully understand and appreciate, but in the end the enjoyment will be greater, he says. This is also true in developing countries where traditional dance is no longer considered worthy of pursuing, Kook says, yet such art should be cherished as a national treasure.

The next performance abroad for Didim will be in China this December.

Reported by Nguyen Le Chi