Korean Dance And Cinema Shine In India And Italy

On January 25, 2026, Bangalore will play host to a rare convergence of international artistry, as the Melancholy Dance Company from South Korea brings two of its most acclaimed works—I tuoi sintomi and Volo—to the Indian stage for the very first time. This highly anticipated performance, scheduled for 7:30 PM at the Status Middle for Performing Arts, marks the grand finale of the 12th Attakkalari India Biennale, a festival renowned for championing innovation and cross-cultural dialogue through dance.

For Jeong Cheol In, the founder and director of Melancholy Dance Company, this moment is both a culmination and a fresh beginning. Speaking to The Hindu with the assistance of independent producer and translator Jin, Jeong expressed excitement about introducing Indian audiences to the company’s signature blend of emotional depth and physical exploration. While some members of his troupe have performed in India previously, this occasion marks the debut of both Volo and I tuoi sintomi on Indian soil—a fact that has sparked considerable anticipation among local dance aficionados.

Jeong, who has helmed the Melancholy Dance Company since its founding in 2016, wears many hats: he’s not only the main choreographer but also one of the principal performers in both pieces. His approach, honed since his choreographic debut in 2014, is rooted in a rigorous investigation of the body’s possibilities and limitations. “You can only achieve success when there have been failures. Volo was born from this thought, and I have represented it with movements of ascent and descent,” Jeong told The Hindu. Through these physical metaphors—leaps, suspended gestures, and slow, deliberate falls—Volo examines the universal human impulse to transcend both physical and psychological boundaries.

The narrative of Volo is one of exhaustion, collapse, and a gradual, sometimes painful, approach to one’s aspirations. The two dancers on stage embody a journey that, while deeply personal, resonates across cultures and continents. “The piece explores human emotions that transcend countries and borders,” Jeong explained. It’s an exploration of perseverance, failure, and the relentless pursuit of meaning—a theme that feels especially poignant in an era marked by rapid change and uncertainty.

While Volo meditates on the struggle to overcome limitations, I tuoi sintomi turns its gaze inward, tackling the identity crises and social challenges faced by modern individuals. This piece, performed by seven dancers, delves into the loneliness and emotional discomfort that often accompany contemporary life. “This work expresses in a complex way the loneliness and emotional discomfort of modern individuals and, through a deep exploration of universal human feelings, proposes a new mode of contemporary stage expression,” Jeong stated. The choreography is layered, employing a nuanced movement vocabulary to peel back the emotional and psychological layers that define the human condition.

For Jeong, the founding of Melancholy Dance Company was a response to a personal and artistic calling—a desire to use dance as a medium to probe existential questions and emotional depths. The company’s very name, Melancholy, signals its commitment to exploring the full spectrum of human feeling, from sorrow to hope. “Through Melancholy, I explore emotional depth and existential themes,” Jeong affirmed. The company has quickly become a source of artistic inspiration, not just in South Korea but internationally, as it continues to push the boundaries of contemporary dance.

The Attakkalari India Biennale, now in its twelfth edition, has long been a platform for such artistic innovation. According to Jeong, the festival’s ethos of reconnection, reflection, and creative renewal aligns perfectly with Melancholy’s own mission. Over the years, Attakkalari has built a reputation for fostering dialogue between diverse artistic traditions, making it a fitting venue for the Indian premiere of these two thought-provoking works.

As Bangalore prepares for this cultural event, another city across the globe is gearing up for its own celebration of Korean artistry. From March 19 to March 28, 2026, Florence will host the 24th edition of the Florence Korea Film Fest, a festival that has become a cornerstone for Korean and Asian cinema in Italy since its founding in 2003. This year’s edition will shine a spotlight on Yeon Sang-ho, the acclaimed director behind the global phenomenon Train to Busan.

Yeon Sang-ho, born in 1978, has carved out a reputation as one of South Korea’s most influential filmmakers of the past fifteen years. His work, which spans animation and live-action, is marked by a radical, socially conscious vision. At the Florence Korea Film Fest, Yeon will be the first guest announced and the subject of Italy’s first comprehensive retrospective of his career. The tribute will trace his evolution from his animated debut The King of Pigs (2011), which explores social violence, through to The Fake (2013), a hard-hitting meditation on religious fanaticism, and on to his apocalyptic animation Seoul Station (2016).

Of course, no retrospective of Yeon would be complete without Train to Busan (2016), the zombie thriller that captivated audiences worldwide and garnered over 11 million viewers in its home country alone. The festival will also feature Psychokinesis (2018), a satirical take on the superhero genre; Peninsula (2020), the much-anticipated sequel to Train to Busan; and The Ugly (2025), one of Yeon’s latest works. Festivalgoers can also look forward to a masterclass with Yeon at Cinema La Compagnia, offering a rare chance to hear firsthand about his creative process and thematic preoccupations.

Yeon’s influence extends beyond film—he’s an active force in the world of webtoons and serialized storytelling, with credits including Hellbound, The Cursed, and JUNG_E. Currently, he’s working on the Korean adaptation of Parasyte: The Grey (2024) and Colony, a film set to premiere in 2026 and starring Gianna Jun and Koo Kyo-hwan. The Florence Korea Film Fest will also showcase a curated selection of contemporary South Korean cinema, with competitive sections like Orizzonti Coreani, Korean Cinema Today, Corto, Corti!, and Webtoon, alongside masterclasses and cultural discussions.

Both the Attakkalari India Biennale and the Florence Korea Film Fest illustrate the growing appetite for Korean performing arts and cinema on the global stage. As these festivals unfold—one in Bangalore, the other in Florence—they serve as reminders of the power of art to bridge cultures, spark dialogue, and illuminate the shared experiences that bind us all, whether through the language of dance or the medium of film.

For audiences in India and Italy alike, the coming months promise a rare opportunity to witness the best of contemporary Korean creativity, from the physical poetry of Melancholy Dance Company to the cinematic vision of Yeon Sang-ho. It’s a testament to the enduring resonance of stories told with honesty, passion, and a willingness to confront the complexities of the human experience head-on.