A Life History of Expert Choi seon During His All 80 Life

Kim Miseon

(An initiate of Honamsalpulichum)

Bore between father Choi Han-pil and mother Kim Ok-joo.

Choi seon only lived for dance in his total life. His original name is Choi Jeong-cheol. In 1935. 11. 7., he was born in the third baby of 8 brothers and sisters. In Korean war, his family managed on inn. His father Choi Han-pil gathered heads of an organization in Imsil and had year-end party in a detached house. He also enjoyed singing and drinking with a prostitute in the waterfall. His mother Kim Ok-joo was tall and good at making dishes. She always made and shared a lot of dishes with neighbors. Because he was artistic, despite man, he made up his face and liked girl’s dance.

Met his second teacher, Choo wol.

In 1950, when Korean war began, he wandered. After the Korean war, in 1952, when he was 16 years old, he entered the Jeonju Gugak Center next to the Jeondong Catholic Church. He met a teacher, Choo wol, and learned overall basic dance about his dance. Especially towel dance was designated as intangible cultural asset in Jeollabukdo. The term that we know ‘Salpurichum’ was not used in the past, but used on ‘towel dance’

Met his third teacher, Jeong in-bang.

At the recommendation of Eun bang-cho, he met the third teacher, Jeong In-bang in 1953. he was one of the best dancer in Seoul and subserved mostly for a long time. Because he managed academy, Choi seon came and went in Seoul and Jeonju and learned various dances. At present, shamanic dance that called ‘A Revelation of GOD’ and ‘Sinosimbullno’ is being performed. It was given by Jeong In-bang.

After he learned dance in the Gugak Center, he performed in a play on a national scale. At that time, his name was Choi Jeong-cheol. but Hwang ok, who performed in a play, named him called ‘Choi seon’ and it was known naturally.

When he was a musical troupe, he performed a play in a province area.

When he was a musical troupe, after he ended a performance in Jeonju, a promotional team received a contract. And he performed a play in that region. He used in used-truck that the American army dumped and carried various equipment in province region. Because of the weather, performance was sometimes cancelled. But he only concentrated on dance with a passion.

He gave the first exhibitions of dancing at the provincial cinema in Jeonju

At the provincial cinema in Jeonju, he gave the first exhibitions of dancing in 1960. At that time, Korean’s dance was a Chosun dance, and foreign dance was a ballet and India’s dance. And all dances could dance both. He could dance all of them as expected. At that time, because man and woman’s role wasn’t decided, his father was gone unbelievably.

Primarily opened a research center of dance in Jeonju

At first, he managed a research center of dance with Eun Bang-cho. But not long after, he was left alone. Since then, in 1961, when his age was 20 years old, he initially opened a research center of dance in Jeollabukdo and both by day and by night, he enthusiastically taught his student. At that time, there wasn’t in existence of academy. Though there wasn’t dancing people, people who wanted dancing learned at Choi seon’s research center of dance. He had in tow his students about 40~50 people and rented a express bus, and then participated in a national competition. Finally his team won all prizes. His many students was learned by him, and worked as professor at a department of dance. Like this, he contributed the world of dancing in Jeonbuk.

Initially designated among dancers in Jeollabukdo.

Historic preservation committee of Jeollabukdo investigated and deliberated his dance. In 1996. 3. 29., ‘Honamsalpulichum’ was designated as the 15th intangible cultural asset in Jeollabukdo and Jeonju. We also knew that when it was designated by unanimity of judge, it preserved and managed well. However, he insisted ‘Honamsalpurichum’ and ‘Dongchosugeonchum’ were designated separately, but they were designated with tied unitarily at a time. He hoped that they could be designated separately. 

The feature of ‘Honamsalpurichum’ and ‘Dongchosoogeonchum’

Aesthetic characteristic of his ‘Honamsalpurichum’ and ‘Dongchosoogeonchum’ is a wide variation of dancing steps and a collness of movement. ‘Honamsalpurichum’ expressed weights well, emitted an elegant smartness, and excited people. As you guessed a character of this dance, ‘Honamsalpurichum’ expressed twofold psychology of people well. His dance emphasized the inner world than an appearance.

‘Dongchosoogeonchum’ also was ‘Soogeonchum’ spined off by Kwon burn. And he dramatized and choreographied again. This dance played in Daecheongmaru with small fan and white handkerchief and only danced on the a figured mat or mat. Because the rhythm of dance was only composed of Gutgury rhythm, it had a special characteristic.

The transmission plan of Choi Seon’s ‘Honamsalpurichum’ and ‘Dongchosugeonchum’

In 1996. 3. 29., his ‘Honamsalpurichum’ and ‘Dongchosugeonchum’ was designated in the 15th Jeollabukdo’s intangible cultural asset. He tried to popularize to many people who wanted to learn. His dance only could be permitted people who he acknowledged. And since then, he emphasized that there was steady practice and effort.

Educational viewpoints and phillosophy of dance that Choi seon emphasized

He who put a high value on manners and education of humanism had his students clean the lab to clear body and soul. The education way of Choi seon accented the soul. However, he said that nowadays youth hardly existed with dance about a their true philosophy. He lived with philosophy of this dance in his whole life. Therefore, he emphasized to his students that his philosophy was soul.

Chei seon steadily served out of sight

When he had been child, he earned and spent money to help poor people more than half. When he grew up, he grew bigger and bigger desire about share. This desire was motivated and joined ‘Rotari Club’ for 33years and he steadily volunteered.

When he looked poor people, he helped them. Whenever he held event performance in Rotari Club, he steadily choreographed and gave a donation of talent. From about 20 years ago, he had provided meal for elder people of region in every may and held performance. He tried to do his best poor people to support a difficult neighbors even if it wasn’t sufficient and big event.

Through good kind offices of his relative, he married Kim Sook-ja.

Through good kind offices of his relative, he met current wife. His wife’s father opposed him 3 times. At that times, the ordinary people married from 24 or 25 years old. But his age was 36 years old. And he was too old to marry her.

Because he was handsome, beautiful and single, despite 36 years old, many women followed him in Jeonju. But he once fell in love on the view of his wife’s photo. They finally married and Kim Sook-ja, his wife, who had a patient and wise character, did her best as mom of 3 kids, dancer’s wife. His wife was also good at cook.

There was a comment which wanted to ask to his junior

When he examine the contest, he said that some of dancing people didn't show their ability. He also said on the other hand that the others overrated their ability and don’t make an effort hard. In the past, students tried to resemble the their teacher. So dance could realize endless waiting consecutively. And there was modesty of dance. But at present, because young people had their own way about dance, there wasn’t modesty and patience about dance. They mistook that all of things was done well because they flattered themselves and there were out of respect about their teacher and stage. He said that they also knew stage very easily and there were many touch-me-nots.

A comment that he wanted to say to local chief to develop local culture.

He said that he wanted that Hanok village would have a lot of attraction except foods, so many people wanted to visit it again. He insisted that the Cultural Properties Training Center should be constructed about each cultural asset. So he said that a lot of training center could play a role that could communicate with public. Such a character of his dance embodied a lot of tones of Honam. In other words, collaboration with line and curve in a scatterer of stretching towel, and a childish shoulder dancing was open and of enterprise, and this emphasized a character of Honam region.

At present, ‘Honamsalpurichum’ was learned from major to no major people through system of learning and completing to generalize and popularize public. His students also are acting the whole country.

Choi seon’s Career

Choi seon(Choi Jeong-cheol) 7/11(nov.)/1935

1969. Awarding cultural prize in Jeollabukdo

1977. An achievement of dancing in Jungang University

1979. The 1st Excellence of a Dance Festival in Korea

1990. Awarding prize of president niversity in Wonkwang University

1998~1999. A chief of Central Rotari Club

23/01(jan.)/2014. Awarding a prize of the artist of dancing of Dance Association Korea

2/3(mar.)/2014. Awarding a grand prize of traditional dance of Association of Traditional Dance

2/6(jun.)/2014. Awarding a grand prize of the 1st Dancing in Korea

24/10(oct.)2014. Awarding a grand prize of a proud Jeonbuk people

Choi seon’s Traces

3(mar.)/1972. An inaugural parade of president Park Jeong-hee

1980. An inaugural parade of president Jeon Doo-hwan

13/8(aug.)/1992. A university president’s invitation performance of Thailand National Art University

7(jul.)/1993. Performing Korean’s an intramural athletic meet in Chicago/New York, Canada, L.A

15/4(apr.)/1999. Invitation performance of intangible cultural asset in Jeonbuk

15/9(sep.)/2001. The 1st cherish concert of passed Korean classical musician in Jeollabukdo about a part of dancing

13/10(oct.)/2001. Open recital of intangible cultural asset(artistic area)-Honamsalpurichum- participation, appearance

5(may.)/2002. Participating in a Festival of Korean Athletic Meet in Chicago

9~10/8(aug.)/2005. Holding the 1st Korean Dancing Festival: Gugak newspaper and appeared “Honamsalpurichum”

3/10(oct.)/2014. Producing the 14th a bearer of “Honamsalpurichum”

9/11(nov.)/2014. A Society of Preservation of Kim Jun-hong’s Traditional Dance –“Daegamnori“- appeared a Revelation of God

11/12(dec.)/2014 Appearing to a municipal dance company of the 26th a subscription concert –Homansalpurichum(Euijeongboo Arts Center)

2/10(oct.)2015. Producing the 15th a bearer of “Honamsalpurichum”