Seung-Hee Choi (1911.11.24 - 1969.8.8, Korean; 최승희), also known by the Japanese pronunciation of her name, Sai Shoki, was one of the famous leading Korean modern dancer. She was born into an upper-class family in Seoul, Korea, during the Japanese occupation era.
After graduating from Sookmyung High School at the age of fifteen, she went against her father's wishes to study law and started to study dancing and choreography under the famous Japanese modern dancer Baku Ishii. During her study in Ishii's Dancing Institute, she distinguished herself as one of the most talented dancers. She developed her own modern dances inspired by Korean folk dances, which had been considered as lowly works in the past. She was supported by Japanese intellectuals including Yasunari Kawabata (Winner of 1968 Nobel Prize for Literature), who became her economic sponser since 1934 and even wrote a short story based on her character, "The Dancer".
In 1929, she declared her independence from Ishii Institute and made her own Institute in Seoul. During the 1930s, she became one of the most regarded artists in Korean society. She married Mak Ahn (Korean; 안막), a communist and a notable playwright, in 1931. Choi's daughter, Sung-Hee Ahn, (Korean; 안성희) also became a famous dancer in 1950s.
In 1936, Choi starred in a semi-documentary film called "Dancer of the (Korean) Peninsula(Korean; 반도의 무희)", which was continuatively shown in the theater for later 4 years. From 1934, she made many performances in Japan, China, U.S, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Argentina. She also served as a judge in the Second International Dance Concourse in Brussels in 1939. She made acquaintances with many world-famous artists, actors, and writers, including Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso, Henry Matisse, Chou En-lai, Martha Graham, John Steinbeck, Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin, Robert Taylor, and so on.
After the World War II outbroke, however, her career became quite controversal. It is known that she made performances for 'consolatoring Japanese army' from 1942 to 1944. (She later claimed that she was forced to do these performances by the Japanese government.) After the war is over, she was blamed as a "Fascist artist" or even a "Traitor" among the South Koreans for this consolatoring performances.
In 1946, She went to North Korea with her husband who got important posts in the North Korean communist government. For this, the South Korean government prohibited to perform any of her choreography works and even to mention her name, and this prohibition lasted until 1989.
During the 1950s, she re-opened her Institute again in Pyoungyang and teached many pupils with her daughter. After the Dictatorship of the North Korea became firm, however, she was purged by the party for criticizing Kim Il-Sung's dictatorship, and disappeared in the 1960s.
In February 2003, she was rehabilitated and utilized for propaganda by North Korea, and the North Korean government announced that she died in 1969, at the age of 58.
Choi was also an amateur jazz musician.( and a potter) She recorded few songs with Taihei Phonograph company in 1932, and this recording was recorded in 1936 for Japan Columbia. She sings a short song with the original score of R. Erwin's "A Garden in Italy" (I didn't have any chance to listen the original score. If there is anyone who have the original orchestral piece recording, please let me know), accompanied by Columbia Tango Band.
Played on my Numark machine with an Audio-Technica cartridge. Originally, In the Side B, Choi recorded a song called "A Dancer in Nostalgic mood(Korean; 향수의 무희)", a song composed & lyrics by herself, but as the grooves are idling, I can't play or record them.
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Stupenda canzone, grazie...
in15ter 2 months ago
@NoNoSpice ignorant thing. ^^
icylakepaxphile 7 months ago
It must be the worst colonization period by evil Imperial Japan! What the heck is this? Ah hahahahahahahahaha! Koreans can't hide the good past, which was brought by the Land of Rising Sun!
NoNoSpice 9 months ago
not only the video was absolutely fascinating and enchanting ... but the history lesson was totally worth it. Thank you for the wonderful "Garden in Italy"
magicmoonlight 11 months ago
THANK YOU SO MUCH! :D :D :D :D :D :D >:D< HUGs
Yonggbaek 1 year ago
amazing piece of history, thank you so much for sharing!
vegiwrap 1 year ago
@pure2warrior
In north korea, many wealthy zainichi japanese-koreans (and ardent communists) were denounced as spies in the 1960's. I wouldn't give much credit to stories of her or her husband being spies. These people were firm believers in the socialist ideal, unfortunately for them.
greekvvedge 1 year ago
How did she die?
sementy123 1 year ago
She was famous all over the world during the 1930's
leeyunwoo 1 year ago
Beautiful!!!
GrandMasterSuperPhD 1 year ago