Kang Sue-jin, the Korea National Ballet’s seventh director and artistic director, will step down April 4, ending a 12-year term that began with her appointment in 2014.
The company said Feb. 26 that after leaving the post, Kang is expected to be hired as a professor at Seoul Cyber University.
In a statement released that day, Kang said the past 12 years were “another passionate and happy time” in her life.
“I feel nothing but gratitude to the dancers and audiences who trusted and supported me through every moment with the Korea National Ballet,” she said. “Now I am wrapping up my role and turning my steps toward places our society needs.”
She added that she hopes her experience can serve as “a small light” for young people pursuing their dreams in underserved regions, and said she will focus on mentoring future generations and giving back for the support she has received as an artist.
During her tenure, Kang worked to strengthen the company’s artistic identity, systematize its creation-based foundation and expand its international standing, the company said. It maintained classical ballet traditions while also developing contemporary works and introducing overseas repertoire to build a balanced program.
In 2025, the company staged choreographer John Neumeier’s full-length drama ballet “The Camellia Lady” for the first time in Asia, the company said, calling it a milestone for the domestic ballet scene. The production, which requires substantial resources, was cited as evidence the company can handle international-level repertoire.
The company also said Kang focused on strengthening its organizational base, gradually increasing the number of company dancers. It expanded the long-stable quota of regular positions by 28.75% — including planned additions in 2026 — to improve job stability.
Soon after her 2014 appointment, Kang also renamed the supporters’ group “KNB Society” and reorganized its operating system to institutionalize private sponsorship, the company said. Supporter membership grew from 40 in 2014 to about 100 in 2025, nearly a 2.5-fold increase. Sponsorship revenue rose from about 50 million won in 2014 to about 430 million won in 2025, nearly a tenfold increase, it said.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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