Shen Yun Declared the “Pinnacle of the Arts” in Anyang, South Korea

(Clearwisdom.net) Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company staged three awe-inspiring shows at the Anyang Arts Center in Anyang, South Korea, on March 3-4, 2012. Respected dignitaries, accomplished artists, community leaders and local residents praised Shen Yun's production, level of skill and mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Finding performances inspirational and moving, many said they looked forward to Shen Yun's return to the region next year.

Seoul opera company director: “All aspects of Shen Yun are perfect”

Director of Seoul Opera Company Kim Bong Im (courtesy of The Epoch Times)

Director of Seoul Opera Company Kim Bong Im described this year’s all-new production as “really marvelous, well-done.”

“All aspects of Shen Yun are perfect, including the live orchestral performance, dance, costumes, colors, and so on; everything is perfect. … Greatly inspiring,” she said. The vocal solos were also “really wonderful,” she added.

The director was deeply moved by the dance number called The Choice, in which a young police officer in China must choose whether to protect his friend, a Falun Gong practitioner. The spiritual meditation practice of Falun Gong has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime for more than 12 years.

“Such a great program The Choice. It’s hard to imagine the Chinese Communist Party suppressing kind people. Through the arts, Shen Yun presents it in such a touching way,” said Ms. Kim Bong Im.

She was also impressed by the costumes and props that span China’s diverse regions, dynasties and ethnicities, calling them “splendid.”

“I was stunned by fans used as lily pads in the dance Lotus Leaves, and by the choice of proper costumes, which is a skill; arts presentations involve a lot of skills,” she said.

Ms. Kim Bong Im, who has served as a college music professor for 25 years and as an opera company director for 40 years, praised Shen Yun for its effort to revive traditional Chinese culture, which has been largely destroyed under China's communist rule over the past 60 years.

“The Shen Yun performance is wonderful; the music very remarkable, very beautiful. Their dance attains the pinnacle of the arts, a dance group at the highest level,” she said.

She said she looked forward to seeing Shen Yun again next year.

Immigrant from China: “I’ve never seen such magnificent stage effects”

Mr. Kim immigrated to South Korea from China about a year ago. “I’ve never seen such magnificent stage effects and [heard] such beautiful music!” he exclaimed after the performance. “The synchronization of the backdrops and dancers was seamless.”

Mr. Kim worked in music and art productions for over 20 years, participating in various large-scale shows and concerts in China prior to moving to South Korea.

“When listening to the music in Shen Yun, I liked to close my eyes in order to listen to the subtle parts. However, the performance on the stage was so wonderful that I just couldn’t stop looking,” he said.

“I’ve seen a Shen Yun video, … but the feeling of seeing the show in person is quite different,” added Mr. Kim, with his eyes brimming with tears. “It’s beyond my imagination. It is indeed great!”

Renowned TV screenwriter: “It was so wonderful and so touching”

Screenwriter Kim Young Hyun (courtesy of The Epoch Times)

Ms. Kim Young Hyun, renowned screenwriter of the South Korean TV series Dae Jang Geum, said she “got some inspirations” for her work after seeing Shen Yun. “As a person who is engaged in historical drama, I also often deal with props, fine arts, images, etc. I’ve got some new ideas in these regards from Shen Yun,” she elaborated.

“Shen Yun’s music and dance are exceptionally good. The performers are really outstanding,” said Ms. Kim Young Hyun. “I was especially impressed with the music, as it was played live with both Chinese and Western musical instruments. They were very clear to my ears, and overwhelming.”

“The erhu solo was very touching,” she added. “This performance left me with a deep impression. It was so wonderful and so touching.”

Reflecting on the production as a whole, she said: “The seamless coordination of music, images [on the dynamic backdrops] and dance is a kind of consolidated art. The dynamic backdrops are very unique. If one wants to learn consolidated art, they must see Shen Yun, and they will definitely gain something from it. In fact, it is hard to conceive a new idea, but they [Shen Yun] presented many very gorgeous and vivid programs with various new ideas. Take the program Joyful Little Monks for instance. The male dancers’ illustration of little monks being mischievous was very special and outstanding. The fans and handkerchiefs used in some of the other programs were also very special and interesting.”

“It’s great to see such a wonderful show,” concluded Ms. Kim Young Hyun. “I really thank Shen Yun Performing Arts very much!”

Community welfare director Chenl-Ho Ra (courtesy of The Epoch Times)

Community director: “A true revelation of the diversity of the Chinese history”

Gangseo-Gu community welfare director Chenl-Ho Ra was also at the performance in Anyang.

“The whole show was wonderfully done. This year is my third time seeing Shen Yun. It is absolutely a true revelation of the diversity of the Chinese history,” he said.

Through its hallmark of classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun takes the audiences on an extraordinary journey through 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, from famous historical legends to touching stories based in contemporary China.

Mr. Chenl-Ho Ra was moved by the dances depicting the ongoing suppression of freedom of belief by the communist regime in China, saying that any country that values human rights would never tolerate persecution in any form.

“By watching Shen Yun, I became fully aware of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. I had heard about the persecution. I think [the Chinese Communist Party] is in no position to do such a thing to Falun Gong practitioners. China wants to be the model country in the world, but if persecution continues, could China become a model country in the world? It is impossible,” he said.

“If Shen Yun ever comes back to South Korea, I would definitely see the show again. I am so grateful for being able to see such a wonderful performance,” Mr. Chenl-Ho Ra said.

Sources:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/seoul-opera-company-director-describes-shen-yun-as-the-acme-of-the-arts-201036.html
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/renowned-tv-screenwriter-gets-inspiration-from-seeing-shen-yun-199770.html