We sat down with Cheol-in Jeong for an exclusive interview. Cheol-in Jung is the choreographer of 0g (Zero grams) by Melancholy Dance Company, part of A Festival of Korean Dance. 0g is performed with A Complementary Set – Disappearing with An Impact by Choi x Kang Project at Pavilion Dance South West 9th May and Dance City 15th May, and with Shinsegae by Ji-hye Chung at The Place on 13th May.
IN CONVERSATION WITH: Choel-in Jung @melancholydancecompany #AFestivalOfKoreanDance
‘Among the works we have created, this is the piece I usually recommend to those who are less familiar with dance.’
#dance #festival #london
1. The concept of “free fall” is central to 0g. What drew you to this idea as a metaphor for human existence, and how did you translate it physically into choreography?
Personally, I found myself particularly drawn to moments where clarity in movement stood out. When physical dynamics were applied to both human bodies and objects, I began to perceive them as truly alive. That was a sense of vividness—something about the way the motion animated everything it touched.
The keyword ‘falling’ implies that something is in descent. But rather than focusing on its arrival at the ground, I became more interested in the suspended state in between—where, crucially, object and person stand as equals. They become equal, governed by the same force, sharing the same condition.
When I began to think of falling as a metaphor for human life, a thought emerged: perhaps we are all constantly falling in one way or another, or even if we have already fallen, we spend our entire lives striving to rise again. Within that motion lie countless stories and processes. Yet, I believe they can be brought together under a single, unifying idea—that human existence is shaped by the continuous repetition of falling and the desire to rise.
2. Sisyphus represents a kind of eternal repetition. How does 0g attempt to break—or embrace—that concept through movement?
I believe that both Sisyphus and humankind are each shaping their own journey through life. Rather than seeing his action as simply pushing a rock uphill, what truly matters is how he came to encounter the rock, how he chooses to climb with it, and what he thinks and feels along the way—these are the sources of meaning that unfold through the temporality of life. In that sense, even within the repetitive patterns of life, we can discover and choose limitless meanings.
The same holds true for movement. While the movement may be framed by the simple notions of rising and falling, it is the way these motions shift and grow through repetition that reminds us, moment by moment, that we are thinking — and that we are alive. And I believe that meaning is something we choose.
Therefore, repetition is not something dull or meaningless, but a process through which we can discover freedom and a sense of agency.
3. What was the initial spark or image that led to the creation of 0g? Was there a moment where you knew this had to become a full work?
The starting point of this work was a time when I was hospitalised for two months after a car accident, unable to do anything but lie in bed. Observing both myself and the patients around me, I became keenly aware of the strange coexistence of despair and hope. There was a desperate longing to return to the life I once knew, coupled with a crushing fear that I might have to live like that forever. From this emotional turmoil grew the conviction that I had to seek meaning in life for myself, and that realisation became the seed of this work.
It took a long time to reach completion. The process began with an abstract sensation — something deeply personal and intangible — and unfolded gradually as I stripped away the unnecessary to return to the essence. Over time, the work came to be expressed through simple physical movements as metaphors. Through many rehearsals and performances, it gradually evolved, expanding through the dancers’ bodies and merging with imagery to become what it is today.
4. The piece won the 2020 Dance Arts Award—how did that recognition impact you or your company?
It was an unexpected award, and I felt it recognised the small, sincere effort I had made with a pure and honest heart. I wouldn’t say the award brought about any major changes for us, but it certainly added meaning to the memory of our efforts.
5. What has the audience response been like to 0g? Have any interpretations surprised you or shifted the way you see your own work?
First of all, I believe the work is highly intuitive in terms of movement. As a result, most audiences tend to focus on the dancers’ physicality and skill, often expressing admiration for their strength and stamina, and commenting on the demands placed on them.
Some audiences try to interpret the imagery and scenes through a scientific lens, applying formulas and theories to what they observe on stage. In the past, students from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) — one of South Korea’s leading science and engineering universities — as well as young children with a keen interest in science, showed great enthusiasm for the work.
6. If someone unfamiliar with contemporary dance sees 0g for the first time, what do you hope they leave thinking or feeling?
Among the works we have created, this is the piece I usually recommend to those who are less familiar with dance.
Rather than being abstract, the work is built on clear and deliberate foundations. One of its key features is that each movement acts as a conceptual building block, coming together to create a dynamic narrative.
Yet the work is not simply about technical skill or physical expression; I hope audiences will also be able to feel the deeper story of human life that runs through it.