The purpose of this study is to vigorously investigate international developments in Korean Dance by domestic private dance troupes. The study is based on the performance records of private international dance troupes from the early 2000s, troupes that were active since 1980. The Chang Mu Dance Company and the Didim Dance Company are among Korea’s leading performers and feature dancers who play a prominent role in the globalization of Korea by presenting performances that captivate audiences around the world. The recent Korean Wave may also trace its origins to the popularity of these dance troupes.

This study traced Choi Seung-hee’s dancing career in Europe and the Americas between 1937 and 1940. Choi is recognized as a pioneer who built the foundation of modern Korean dance. Called “the dancer of the peninsular” and very popular in Korea and Japan, the celebrated dancer extended her career to Europe with the ambitious mission to introduce Joseon dance to an international audience in the late 1930s. As the Japanese novelist Yasunari Kawabata put it, her dance was powerful and based on her ethnic roots, which became representative of her as a dancer. Meanwhile, most Korean intellectuals criticized her dance for failing to fully express their nation’s identity; this was because it was a mix of Western-style and traditional Korean techniques. Despite this criticism, her dance proved itself to be fascinating enough to attract an international audience, presenting the uniqueness of an ethnic culture in a dignified and fresh way. It also suggested that the legendary dancer’s work carries significance in that it created a new value system with a blend of globalization, locality, and democratic elements.