Korea’s first ballet couple to retire
Hwang, Ohm leave UBC with ‘Onegin’ as last performance
There have been many legendary pairs in the history of ballet, but virtually none of them had been real-life couples. In Korea, however, there’s Hwang Hye-min and Ohm Jae-yong of Universal Ballet, the first and only ballet couple in the country who had both been principal dancers. Now both are retiring at the same time, with “Onegin” as their last performance.
“I wanted to step down when I was at the peak. Dancers usually retire at around 40. I’m at that age and I wanted to come down at this stage in my career. I didn’t want to make the audience think it was time for me to step down. I’ve fulfilled what I wanted to do so I have no regrets,” Hwang said at a press conference Thursday in Seoul.
Ohm said, “For me, it’s a slightly different reason. I’m leaving the ballet company but I’ll continue performing on smaller stages. I made the decision to retire together with my wife because it would be best to finish on the same stage.”
Hwang and Ohm had been each other’s first loves when they met in their school days at Sunhwa Arts Middle and High School, but they became a couple after they met again as colleagues at the Universal Ballet Company. Ohm joined in 2000 and Hwang joined in 2002. They married in 2012.
“It was in 2002 in Paris for the Etoile Gala that we first performed together. The first full performance we’ve done together was La Bayadere in 2004 and we’ve staged about 1,000 performances together ever since,” Hwang said.
Hwang and Ohm described each other as “only one” and “partner,” the latter which means respect, care, and trust to Ohm. Ballet, they said, was “life” and “breath” to them.
“To a ballerina, ballet is not a profession but life itself, and her identity. No one wants to think about it, but retirement dawns upon everyone. Legendary choreographer Martha Graham said a dancer dies twice, but I would like to put it another way: A dancer lives twice. The life of a dancer is a very blessed life,” said Julia Moon, general director of the Universal Ballet Company.
“The couple best represented the spirit of the ballet company. They were artists who lived for the arts. They were responsible dancers who fulfilled their duties wholeheartedly. They were role models for the juniors. They will be remembered in ballet history as a couple with an unforgettable partnership.”
If Ohm was the prince of consideration, Hwang was the queen of devotion, Moon said.
“Hwang was my last student and one I spent the most time coaching. She never let any advice go to vain. She put in a lot of hard work and practice. She never had an injury which is extremely rare. It means she self-managed well.
“As for Ohm, he has a strong presence on any stage, with any character. He had charisma from very early on. Even on his debut stage with me, he had great expression, unlike other Korean male dancers. In Giselle, there’s a part where the ballerino does 32 jumps. Not many dancers complete it, but Ohm did.”
When asked what they wanted to do most after retirement, the couple said they wanted to enjoy their free time.
“I want to get a haircut. I had to keep this long hair for 30 years because hair is part of the costume. Now I want to cut it short and dye it. I also want to enjoy brunch with my friends on a weekday, which I never got to do,” Hwang said.
Ohm said he wanted to travel. “I want to go backpacking alone and fish out the good restaurants by region. I love eating.”
Preparing their last performance on stage must be overwhelming emotionally.
“I have complex feelings as it draws near. I had performed on stage like every performance would be the last, but this really is the last. I want it to be touching,” Hwang said.
“A month ago, I was worried and impatient but now I feel more calm and comfortable since we started rehearsing,” Ohm said. “We decided on Onegin as our farewell piece because it’s a piece that requires acting like in a movie. The whole piece is like a movie which allows us to show our everything. We had planned on it from a long time ago.”
“We want to be a couple that is remembered for our heartwarming performance,” Hwang said.
“Onegin” will take place at the Seoul Arts Center’s Opera Theater from Nov. 24 to 26. Hwang and Ohm’s performance will take place only twice, on Nov. 24 and on 26 at 7:30 p.m.