Korean cultural contents are a craze all over the world. Korean music, dance, and movies are attracting attention, and the modernization of traditional art is emerging as a new topic. Professor Seo Yeon-soo from the Department of Dance is participating in the journey that leads to the modernization of traditional Korean dance. Professor Seo talked about her activities as a dancer and the modernization of Korean dance.

Professor Seo won the Korean Dance Critics' Award for Best Picture by the Korean Dance Critics Association for her co-directed work “Stride, See and Stand" on January 14. Professor Seo said, "It is meaningful to receive the award, which was my dream as an artist, and I would like to express my gratitude to director Kang Yo-chan for taking part in co-directing."

“Stride, See and Stand" is a work that captures the creatively growing journey of Korean dance, which originated from tradition. By figuratively expressing Korean dance to a seed, the providence of nature in which one seed grows into a giant tree is solved with a Korean creative dance. To express the work in a variety of ways, traditional objects such as the Beoseon (traditional socks), Baldidim (stepping stool used to step on), and Moktak (wooden handbell used in Korean zen Buddhism) sound, and modern music and movements were used in harmony. Professor Seo said, "My artistic philosophy is the modernization of traditional Korean dance," and added, "I tried to visually express the harmony between tradition and modernity in my work, “Stride, See and Stand."

Traces of efforts to modernize Korean dance can also be found in another production, "House in the House." In “House in the House”, she finely decomposed all the dance moves of traditional dance. Professor Seo explained, "In particular, we dismantled the Salpuri dance to collect characteristic movements and make them into a continuous movement, and transformed and developed the movements to exponence them in a modern way." "The House in the House" is a work that was created with its meaning as the end point of finding the identity of the dance I aim for, she said. "I want to describe this work as a compromise and inclusion between tradition and modernity."

Professor Seo won the grand prize at the 41st Seoul Dance Festival for directing "Home in the House," and the choreographer award for shining 2021 at the 2021 Beautiful Dancer Award. In recognition of the artistry of the work, she held a personal performance of <House in the House ver. 2> and plans to hold a European tour and an overseas invitation performance.

Professor Seo established the Mhotair Dance Project, a dance group, and contains the philosophy and records of dance. She has worked as a director for the Mhotair Dance Project and has expressed stories about women and social values. Professor Seo said, "As a Korean dance major, I started the Mhotair dance project in the process of considering Korean culture and dance. Through various art support projects, we are developing into an organization that diversifies artistic expressions and studies modern dance styles."

Professor Seo, who completed a bachelor's degree to a doctorate degree at Hanyang University, began teaching at her alma mater last year. Returning as a dance professor after graduation, she is trying to provide various opportunities to students by leading the school dance group "Kum Dance Company" and conducting a dance project "Psho Handae."

Professor Seo cited "passion" as a modifier to explain herself. "I'm grateful that I can have passion for my life and job," she said. "I want to put this passion into the modernization of Korean dance and do various works." Professor Seo then said, "As an artist, I think it is my calling to keep the center of Korean dance and research it in various directions," adding, "As an educator, I want to provide students with abundant field experience."