Ballet dancer Jeon Min-chul, who recently completed his first season as a first soloist with Russia's Mariinsky Ballet, will return to South Korea to perform his first full-length leading role since joining the historic company.

Jeon will dance the role of Prince Siegfried as a guest artist in Universal Ballet's production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," jointly presented by the Seoul Arts Center and Universal Ballet. The production runs from August 14 to 23 at the Seoul Arts Center's Opera Theater, featuring 11 performances in total.

Jeon and Julia Moon, general director of Universal Ballet, spoke at a press conference for the production held at the Seoul Arts Center's In-Chun Art Hall in southern Seoul on Friday.

"I want to show the results of my first season at the Mariinsky," Jeon said, expressing his determination ahead of his return to the Korean stage.

"Swan Lake," which combines Tchaikovsky's celebrated score with choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, stands as one of the defining works of classical ballet. The Mariinsky Ballet premiered the work in 1895, and that staging became the foundation for most traditional productions performed by companies worldwide today. Universal Ballet's production is based on the traditional Mariinsky version, with some choreography newly arranged by Oleg Vinogradov, who served as artistic director of the Mariinsky — then known as the Kirov Ballet — from 1977 to 1997.

Moon drew a comparison between Russia's two most prominent ballet companies: "If the Bolshoi paints a grand picture with a thick brush, the Mariinsky feels like it uses a fine brush to express details and elegance."

Jeon emphasized that this production distinguishes itself from the numerous creative adaptations and reinterpretations of "Swan Lake" seen in contemporary ballet.

"Although 'Swan Lake' has been performed through countless creations and reinterpretations, this production is incomparable in the way it expresses everything through the movements of classical ballet," he said.

Reflecting on his first season at the Mariinsky, Jeon identified acting as one of the defining characteristics of the company's artistic style.

"Even when they were standing still, they continued to express emotions through their bodies," he said. "I learned that even with the same movement, you can portray completely different characters through variations in the speed and power of the movement."

His relocation to Russia has transformed more than just his technique. "In Korea, I used to practice from morning until night, but in Russia, I have more time to attend performances and experience everyday life," Jeon said. "Even the walk home after finishing my schedule is beautiful, and those moments give me a lot of inspiration for dancing."

Moon has followed Jeon's artistic development since his training days at the Universal Ballet Academy and Sunhwa Arts Middle and High School.

"When Universal Ballet was founded in 1984, Korea was still a barren land for ballet," Moon said. "Today, seeing so many Korean dancers performing leading roles at the world's top ballet companies makes me realize how much Korean ballet has grown."

Over the past two decades, Korean dancers have increasingly secured principal and soloist positions at major international companies, including the Mariinsky, the American Ballet Theatre, England's Royal Ballet, and the Stuttgart Ballet — a trend that has elevated South Korea's profile in the global classical dance community.

Moon became visibly emotional and shed tears when asked about her feelings toward her former student, whom she has watched develop from a young dancer into an international professional.

Alongside Jeon, Universal Ballet's principal dancers Hong Hyang-gi, Lee Hyun-joon, Lee Dong-tak, and Elizaveta Cheprasova will take the stage. The production will also feature members of the company's next generation, including Lee Yu-rim, Lim Sun-woo, Seo Hye-won, Jeon Yeo-jin, Lee Seung-min, and Yoo Joo-hyung.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.