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To receive blessings, you must move your body and run until you sweat
🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

To receive blessings, you must move your body and run until you sweat

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre will premiere its new original dance 'Mugamseogi' next month.
  • Choreographer Yoon Hye-jung was inspired by the traditional Korean shamanistic ritual term 'Mugamseogi,' meaning participants dance in the shaman's attire.
  • The concept emphasizes that true blessings are received when individuals actively participate and complete the ritual through their own actions.

The Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre is set to unveil its latest creation, 'Mugamseogi,' a new original dance performance scheduled from November 10th to 13th at the Grand Theatre of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul.

To make the ritual effective, you must complete it with your own body in the final moments.

— Yoon Hye-jungExplaining the core concept of 'Mugamseogi'.

Choreographer Yoon Hye-jung, who also serves as the director of the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre, shared the inspiration behind the work. She discovered the term 'Mugamseogi' through folklorist Yang Jong-seung while developing the concept, which draws from shamanistic rituals specific to the Seoul region. 'Mugamseogi' refers to a practice within traditional Korean gut (shamanistic rituals) where, during a break, the family of the client or neighbors would borrow the shaman's ceremonial robe and dance joyfully.

The idea is that to make the ritual effective, you must complete it with your own body in the final moments.

— Yoon Hye-jungElaborating on the meaning of 'Mugamseogi'.

Yoon explained the deeper meaning embedded in this practice: "The idea is that to make the ritual effective, you must complete it with your own body in the final moments." She elaborated on the concept, drawing a parallel to the popular image of shamanistic rituals where people ask a shaman to resolve their difficulties. However, 'Mugamseogi' introduces a surprising turn, where the client or a family member dons the shaman's attire and dances spontaneously, as if possessed by spirits. "Only by performing that act can you truly receive blessings," Yoon stated, highlighting the active role individuals must take.

The shaman's clothes are borrowed by the head of the household or a neighbor, and they dance spontaneously, as if they've become a shaman.

— Yoon Hye-jungDescribing the act of 'Mugamseogi' within a shamanistic ritual.

This concept challenges the common perception of shamanistic rituals as a passive act of seeking help from a shaman. Instead, 'Mugamseogi' underscores the belief that personal engagement and physical participation are essential for receiving spiritual benefits and blessings. The performance promises to offer a unique cultural insight into Korean shamanism through the medium of contemporary dance.

Only by performing that act can you truly receive blessings.

— Yoon Hye-jungStating the belief that active participation leads to blessings.
About this summary

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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