Mark Tetto has delivered lectures and participated in interviews that explore Korean aesthetics and Ilmu (일무) from a foreigner’s perspective. (Image courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts)
SEOUL, August 6 (Korea Bizwire) — At a recent evening lecture in Seoul’s Sejong Center, an unlikely figure captivated a Korean audience with insights into traditional Korean aesthetics. Mark Tetto, an American-born investor and television personality, offered a foreign perspective on the minimalist beauty embedded in Korean art — and how it manifests in Ilmu, a contemporary dance work by the Seoul City Dance Theater.
Tetto, who also serves as a brand ambassador for Ilmu, spoke for two hours on August 4 under the theme “Korean Aesthetics and Ilmu Through Foreign Eyes.” Drawing on 15 years of experience living in South Korea, he described three foundational elements of Korean aesthetics — emptiness, journey, and restraint — and how each is vividly expressed in the dance performance.
Premiered in 2022 and staged annually since, Ilmu is a modern reinterpretation of the ritual court dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, a UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage and one of Korea’s most important Confucian ceremonies. The performance garnered acclaim during its 2023 New York staging as a “stunning visual feast of Korean dance.”
“Ilmu” by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre (Image courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts)
Tetto highlighted the centrality of yoh-baek (the beauty of empty space) in Korean aesthetics, citing traditional architecture and ceramics. In Ilmu, he noted, moments of complete stillness — where dancers freeze and even the music ceases — reflect this reverence for absence. “These silent interludes are not voids, but rather intentional spaces that invite contemplation,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of journey in the Korean artistic experience. “Unlike Western aesthetics, which are often visual and immediate, Korean art invites the audience to move through an emotional and spiritual journey,” Tetto explained. In Ilmu, the choreography encourages the audience to ascend and cleanse the spirit alongside the dancers.
The third pillar, restraint, is reflected in the choreography’s subtle progression. “Korean aesthetics often refrain from embellishment, allowing nature and form to speak for themselves,” Tetto said. “Ilmu doesn’t rush into grand movements — it unfolds with intention and grace.”
Now entering its fourth season, Ilmu will be performed at Seoul’s Grand Theater in the Sejong Center from August 21 to 24, followed by shows in Gangneung (August 29) and Daegu (September 4–5).
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizire.com)
