Emeritus Professor Kim Sunhee of the School of Dance Presents Song of the Mermaid

Emeritus Professor Kim Sunhee of the Department of Dance Performance in the School of Dance returns to the stage with her signature work, “Song of the Mermaid,” newly reimagined with updated choreography and music.

“Song of the Mermaid” will run from October 10 to October 12 at the Haeoreum Grand Theater in the National Theater of Korea. Since its premiere in 2001, the production has been staged internationally for 24 years in major theatres across the United States, Italy, Singapore, and beyond.

A highlight of this year’s performance is the newly composed score by composer and conductor Anton Lubchenko, which will make its world premiere in this production. Lubchenko himself will conduct, capturing the fluidity and silence of the sea, the solitude of the mermaid, and her yearning for the human world.

The production also features stage design by Shin Jaehee, a globally active designer. Since debuting with the small-theater musical, “Bingo,” in 2006, Shin has designed across genres, including operas, musical theater, and concerts, with notable works such as “Madama Butterfly,” “Tosca,” and “La Bohème.” In 2021, Shin received the 14^th Korea Opera Awards for Art.

Choreographers Yu Heewoong and Kim Hyungwoong collaborated on the new choreography, re-interpreting the mermaid’s inner life through contemporary movements while preserving the original narrative.

The cast includes dancers Sohn Minji and Kim Minjin as the mermaid, and Sung Jaeseung and Lee Kangwon as the prince. Additional roles will be performed by Ahn Woojae, Lee Seungmin, and Yu Juhyeong.

The musical will be performed by Academia Classica KNUA, a chamber orchestra composed of K-Arts alumni.