Professor Lee Kyung-sung's Island Story Acclaimed at the 80th Avignon Festival

Professor Lee Kyung-sung's Island Story Wins Critical Acclaim at the 80th Avignon Festival - Presented alongside works by Han Kang, Lee Jaram, and Ku Jaha, the production highlights the growing international presence of Korean performing arts - Island Story, created, directed, and performed by Professor Lee Kyung-sung of the Department of Acting, drew critical acclaim and enthusiastic audience response at the 80th Avignon Festival in France, one of the world's most prestigious performing arts festivals. Celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, the Avignon Festival designated Korean as its featured guest language, placing Korean performing arts at the center of its international program. Among the officially invited productions were Island Story; Oiseau (Bird), performed and read by Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang; Snow, Snow, Snow by renowned singer-storyteller Lee Jaram; and Haribo Kimchi by theater artist Ku Jaha. Together, these works showcased the diversity and artistic vitality of contemporary Korean performance on one of the world's leading cultural stages. Based on the testimonies of survivors and bereaved families of the Jeju April 3 Uprising, Island Story is a documentary theater production that explores one of the most painful chapters in modern Korean history. Rather than simply reenacting historical tragedy, the work delicately portrays how memory, grief, and healing are carried across generations through restrained theatrical language and minimalist staging. Its nuanced approach resonated strongly with international audiences. French performing arts magazine INFERNO praised the production as "a work that revives voices from a long-silenced wound in modern Korean history." The review noted that the production "rejects spectacle and excessive emotional display, inviting audiences to listen through silence, empty space, and restrained mise-en-scène." It further described Island Story as "a rare work that transforms historical memory into poetic language through minimalist aesthetics," adding that "many of its scenes remain vividly in the memory long after the performance has ended." This year's Avignon Festival featured nine Korean productions, which collectively attracted approximately 21,000 audience members over a three-week period. Most performances were sold out and concluded with standing ovations, reflecting broad international recognition of the artistic excellence and contemporary relevance of Korean performing arts. ▶ Related Links Avignon Festival Official Audio/Video Archive (July 4, 2026) The Korea Economic Daily (Jiyeon Seol), "Reimagining the Classics, Pushing Beyond Boundaries: Experimental Productions Take Center Stage at Avignon" (July 23, 2026)

Department of Fashion Design Students Win Top Honors at the 7th MDF Fashion Design Competition

Department of Fashion Design Students Win Top Honors at the 7th MDF Fashion Design Competition Three students from the Department of Fashion Design have been recognized at the 7th MDF Fashion Design Competition, a prestigious national competition dedicated to discovering emerging designers who will shape the future of K-fashion in the global market. The award recipients are Soonwon Kang (Class of 2021), Taeyoung Kim (Class of 2020), and Gido Kim (Class of 2022). Organized annually since 2020 by the MDF Foundation, a nonprofit public-interest scholarship organization, the competition selects 14 scholarship recipients each year and provides comprehensive support to help develop the next generation of fashion talent. Over the years, the program has earned a strong reputation for nurturing promising designers, including Jiyong Kim, founder of the internationally acclaimed fashion label JiYong Kim. This year's competition unfolded over three months in three stages: a portfolio review, garment production, and a final round consisting of a making test and in-depth interview. Despite intense competition, students from the university's Department of Fashion Design delivered an outstanding performance. All seven students from the department who entered the competition advanced through the initial portfolio screening. Of those, three progressed to the final interview stage and ultimately received awards. Among the winners, Soonwon Kang received a travel grant worth approximately KRW 5 million to support participation in an international fashion exhibition. The award covers round-trip airfare, accommodation, and admission fees, providing valuable opportunities for global exposure and professional development. Related Coverage Yonhap News https://www.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20260715088300013 Kookmin Ilbo https://www.kmib.co.kr/article/view.asp?arcid=0030113748 Maeil Business https://www.mk.co.kr/news/business/12099349 The Dong-A Ilbo https://www.donga.com/news/Society/article/all/20260715/134307170/2 The Kyunghyang Shinmun https://www.khan.co.kr/article/202507161420011

Department of Dance Welcomes World-Renowned Choreographer Anouk van Dijk for Guest Lecture and Counter Technique® Worksh

Department of Dance Welcomes World-Renowned Choreographer Anouk van Dijk for Guest Lecture and Counter Technique® Worksh The Department of Dance at Sungkyunkwan University hosted a special guest lecture and Counter Technique® workshop featuring internationally acclaimed choreographer Anouk van Dijk, the founder of Counter Technique®. The three-day program was held from April 29 to May 1, 2026, offering students an opportunity to engage directly with one of the leading figures in contemporary dance. Designed for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in Contemporary Dance at the Department of Dance, the program focused on intensive Counter Technique training and creative research sessions. Through hands-on practice, students explored the fundamental principles of movement and developed a deeper understanding of body awareness, physical coordination, and movement possibilities. During the program, Anouk van Dijk introduced the theoretical foundations and artistic philosophy behind Counter Technique. Through Q&A sessions and artist talks, she shared insights into her creative process, artistic experiences, and approaches to choreography. Students had the valuable opportunity to engage directly with an internationally recognized choreographer, experiencing global perspectives in dance education while gaining new inspiration and perspectives for their own creative practices. The guest artist lecture concluded as a meaningful educational program that enhanced students’ professional and artistic capabilities while providing an in-depth understanding of contemporary trends in international dance and innovative approaches to choreography.

The Graduate School of Design’s Brand Design Management Major Holds Its First Colloquium

Brand Design Management Major Holds Its First Colloquium The Graduate School of Design’s Brand Design Management major recently successfully hosted the First Brand Design Management Colloquium, bringing together faculty members and graduate students for academic presentations and discussions. Organized under the leadership of Professor Ja-Jun Koo, head of the major, the colloquium provided a platform for scholarly exchange centered on research topics across various visual fields, including design and branding. During the event, doctoral student Jae-Hyung Lee and master’s students Ga-Eun Lee and Ji-Hyun Jeon presented their ongoing research projects, sharing recent academic achievements and future research directions within the major. Following the presentations, participants engaged in a discussion session and informal gathering over a meal, exchanging ideas on research activities and fostering open communication among members. As the first official colloquium organized by the Brand Design Management major, the event marked an important step toward strengthening academic collaboration and research capabilities among members of the program. It also contributed to building a research community and expanding scholarly networks within the field.