"God gave us tears. Luckily he taught me how to turn my tears into tales."
"Mythology help us understand our life better and even get wisdom out of it."
Seung Ah Kim is a Korean professional storyteller. Inspired by folktales told her as a child by her beloved grandmother, Seung Ah tells Korean folktales in a dynamic and interactive way for audiences of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities.
In her storytelling shows she combines traditional Korean folktales, mythology and stories from everyday life. She studied storytelling in Toronto, Canada where she debuted by sharing stories and Korean culture information with Canada’s multicultural society.
She is known as the “K-storyteller” and people flock to hear her to learn more about the culture and history of Korea. Her objective is to share happiness and spiritual bounty with as many people as possible. As storyteller, she feels that stories can uplift the spirit and heal the body. Seung Ah is the founder of "Arirang and Pansori Storytelling Concert" that reflects her enthusiasm for and devotion to traditional Korean storytelling.
Recently, she has embarked upon a new partnership: “BARI: Beauties of ARIrang” is an attempt to further enhance the beauty of traditional Korean folktales by combining with traditional Korean music, played by the musician Hee Young Kim.
How and when did storytelling enter your life?
How did you come by the idea to use storytelling as means to promote Korean culture and civilization?
What is K-Storytelling & K-Storytelling World Tour?
What is Arirang?
"Mythology help us understand our life better and even get wisdom out of it."
Η συνέντευξη στα Ελληνικά είναι ΕΔΩ
Seung Ah Kim is a Korean professional storyteller. Inspired by folktales told her as a child by her beloved grandmother, Seung Ah tells Korean folktales in a dynamic and interactive way for audiences of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities.
In her storytelling shows she combines traditional Korean folktales, mythology and stories from everyday life. She studied storytelling in Toronto, Canada where she debuted by sharing stories and Korean culture information with Canada’s multicultural society.
She is known as the “K-storyteller” and people flock to hear her to learn more about the culture and history of Korea. Her objective is to share happiness and spiritual bounty with as many people as possible. As storyteller, she feels that stories can uplift the spirit and heal the body. Seung Ah is the founder of "Arirang and Pansori Storytelling Concert" that reflects her enthusiasm for and devotion to traditional Korean storytelling.
Recently, she has embarked upon a new partnership: “BARI: Beauties of ARIrang” is an attempt to further enhance the beauty of traditional Korean folktales by combining with traditional Korean music, played by the musician Hee Young Kim.
How and when did storytelling enter your life?
Honestly I just followed my heart. When I was sitting in a show in Toronto during the storytelling festival in 2007, I couldn’t help shedding my tears because all the stories were so touching and I was deeply moved. I thought to myself, “That’s it.” Later on I realized that storytelling is my destiny, my passion, and my love after my grandmother passed away. She became a widow at the age of 33 and passed away at the age of 93. She never went out any men because my family is very conservative. She read books to soothe her loneliness. When I was born I was a baby who cried a lot. My mother tried to stop my crying but she failed, and then my father did everything, but I didn’t stop crying. My grandmother would give me a piggy back ride and sing lullabies to me, but still she couldn’t stop my crying. Finally she started to tell me a story, and I stopped crying. If crying expresses the pain in our life, then storytelling can be a painkiller. Actually all pains motivate me to become a storyteller. On the my 9th anniversary as a storyteller I said, “God gave us tears. Luckily he taught me how to turn my tears into tales.”
How did you come by the idea to use storytelling as means to promote Korean culture and civilization?
I studied storytelling in Toronto for the first time. As you know Canada is a multicultural society. Because storytelling has been a great role in that society, it was very natural for me to share Korean stories and culture with people in Toronto. Later on Korea became popular with K-Pop and K-Drama in the world, people call me “the K-Storyteller” and they love to listen to my stories to learn more about Korean culture and history. Now it is the best time to use storytelling as means to promote Korean culture more.
What is K-Storytelling & K-Storytelling World Tour?
My goal is to share happiness and richness with more people. As a storyteller I have felt how stories can make people happy and heal them. Storytelling is an art of love, an art of sharing. Also through storytelling I’ve learned a lot about Korean culture and other cultures. It makes me feel blessed and rich. The sixth and later the last Premier of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, Baekbum Kim Goo, who was one of my ancestors, said “The power of culture both makes ourselves happy and gives happiness to others.” My dream is to establish a K-Storytelling Center in Korea to spread out the power of storytelling and the value of culture to share happiness with more people. I finished the first round last year. It is an ongoing project. I am preparing for the second round. I will keep going until my dream comes true.
How do modern audiences in Korea and other countries react to your stories?
Korean audiences appreciate my work to spread out Korean culture through storytelling. My stories gave them an opportunity to see the value of Korean tradition. Audiences in other countries are delighted to open their eyes to Korean culture by listening to my stories. Many of them want to visit Korea to learn more about Korea.
Arirang is a Korean folk song with countless variations. The National Folk Museum of Korea notes, “Arirang represents all the joys and sorrows in the history and lives of Koreans, it is deeply rooted in Koreans’ emotion as the cultural DNA.” Arirang also has been presented in various art forms such as dance, music, movie, musical, even opera.
Recently, you have announced the creation of BARI(Beauties of ARIrang). It is a new artistic initiative based on close cooperation with the musician Hee Young Kim. What is the role of music in your storytelling show?
This summer you will tell at the 17th Folktales’ Festival of Kea. Could you tell us more about your participation at the 17th Folktales’ Festival of Kea?
Recently, you have announced the creation of BARI(Beauties of ARIrang). It is a new artistic initiative based on close cooperation with the musician Hee Young Kim. What is the role of music in your storytelling show?
Music will take our
audience to the ancient Korea. Its rhythm and melody will combine to create emotions of the story. The
musical instrument Hee Young plays called “haegeum.” It is famous for
expressing various feelings like human beings. It will cry for us and it will
laugh with us.
This summer you will tell at the 17th Folktales’ Festival of Kea. Could you tell us more about your participation at the 17th Folktales’ Festival of Kea?
We BARI were so delighted when we hear the theme of the 17th Folktales Festival of Kea is “mythology”. Our team name and the title of our first story are the same. Bari, the Abandoned Princess is one of the most famous Korean myths. So it was a perfect timing for us to share a Korean myth with global audience at this festival. It is also the world premiere of “Bari, the Abandoned Princess.” The 17th Folktales Festival of Kea is very meaningful and historical in many ways. We are looking forward to August 1!
The central theme of this year’s Folktales’ Festival of Kea is Greek Mythology. Do you, generally, believe that mythology can attract modern, 21st century audiences?
Yes! I think stories in mythology still happen nowadays. That’s why mythology is so powerful. Mythology tells us what bad things can happen in our life. Hatred, betrayal, jealousy, revenge, temptation… Also it tells us what is beauty. True love, peace, justice, dignity… Audiences in the 21st century can find the root of all human nature through mythology. It will help us understand our life better and even get wisdom out of it.
Yes! I think stories in mythology still happen nowadays. That’s why mythology is so powerful. Mythology tells us what bad things can happen in our life. Hatred, betrayal, jealousy, revenge, temptation… Also it tells us what is beauty. True love, peace, justice, dignity… Audiences in the 21st century can find the root of all human nature through mythology. It will help us understand our life better and even get wisdom out of it.
