[Photo] 'The Legendary Dancer Who Captivated the World in the 1950s'

There is a signature left by Choi Seung-hee on January 7, 1957. Material held at the Russian Literature and Art Archives. [Provided by Minsokwon]

[Asia Economy Online Issue Team] A photo collection of dancer Choi Seung-hee (1911?1969) taken during her activities in the Soviet Union in the 1950s has been published.

Dr. Bae Eun-kyung, who graduated from Moscow State University and researched Koryo-saram, published 'Choi Seung-hee Dance Institute's Soviet Tour Performances' through the folklore-specialized publisher Minsogwon.

In 2017, she discovered photos of Choi Seung-hee taken by Soviet photographer Yavno Yevgeny Ionovich at the Russian Literature and Art Archives in Moscow, Russia. Ionovich photographed famous Soviet figures including Stalin.

The book includes photos not only of Choi Seung-hee but also of her husband An Mak and her daughter An Seong-hee, who was active as a dancer.

In the preface, the author evaluated Choi Seung-hee in the 1950s, saying, "The aura that seemed to pierce through black-and-white photos with intense beauty in her youth has disappeared, and a gentle demeanor is felt," and added, "She was a realist and a capricious thinker, but succeeded as an artist."

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