[Power K Women] Choreographer Hyeyeon Kim Dances with AI Robots: "Dance Is an Extension of Myself"

Interview with Choreographer Hyeyeon Kim, CEO of Yeonist Company

From Dancer to Performance Planner, Writer, and Moderator

"In the Age of AI, You Must Experience and Learn Through Your Body Even More"

Choreographer Hyeyeon Kim, CEO of Yeonist Company, said she feels heartbroken when a robot falls. It's not just a simple metaphor; it's closer to a feeling that a part of herself is collapsing. For a dancer, the body is both a tool and oneself—so even an artificial intelligence (AI) robot that dances with her feels like "another extension of herself." The question she persistently asks at the intersection of technology and art is a single one: What is the body, and how will the body transform in this rapidly changing era?

Born in 1989, Kim is a dancer, performance planner, writer, and moderator, taking on multiple roles. After working as a professional dancer at the Gyeonggi Provincial Dance Company for 13 years and 6 months, she resigned and founded the art content planning agency Yeonist Company in 2024. In 2021, she began actively integrating AI and art by dancing with Boston Dynamics' quadruped AI robot "Spot." Last year, she also collaborated with neuroscientist Daesik Kim, a professor at KAIST, on several projects, including the publication of "Between Humans." Meeting her, who is constantly transforming, we asked about "the body and dance, AI and robots," and more.

Choreographer Hye-yeon Kim, CEO of Yeonnist Company, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at Hyundai Motor Company headquarters in Yangjae-dong, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

-What led you to choose choreography as a profession?

▲Since I had been dancing since fifth grade in elementary school, it was natural for me to walk the path of a dancer. Many dance majors focus more on learning movement techniques. It's like how there are many people who dream of becoming actors, but very few who aspire to be directors. At first, I also dreamed of being an "actor" and wasn't very interested in creation itself. But that changed when I took a choreography class in college. I became more attracted to creating dance itself than simply turning well, jumping high, or dancing skillfully. From then on, I started seeking out various choreographers' works and fell in love with the charm of creation, which naturally led to my career.

-You left the Gyeonggi Provincial Dance Company after more than 13 years and founded Yeonist Company, taking on the role of CEO. Where does your passion and drive for constant transformation come from?

▲I think it's an innate temperament. If I had to name an acquired influence, it would be my mother's approach to education. Rather than sending me to private academies, she often put me in special local activities. Whether it was calligraphy, printmaking, or lectures at public offices, she would throw me into new environments without hesitation. I learned firsthand how to make friends, communicate, and find my place among strangers ranging from young children to middle schoolers. She also had me read five books a week. The books ranged from picture books, novels, comics, history, to philosophy, and that became my way of understanding the world and people. From an early age, I knew the joy that comes from discovering common keywords across a wide range of knowledge.

-What is your company's goal toward "art" and "the public"?

▲Although it has been less than two years since I established Yeonist Company, I have been designing its shape for the past 13 years. While at the dance company, I consistently built a model as both a choreographer and planner, and when I left, I immediately turned it into a business. There are two main things I pursue: the artistic domain of introducing dance to the world, and the business domain of planning AI-based content and lectures. At first, it was difficult to commercialize dance, but by generating profits in other areas and pursuing greater value in art, it actually created a virtuous cycle.

Choreographer Hye-Yeon Kim, CEO of Yeonnist Company, poses during an interview with The Asia Business Daily at the Hyundai Motor headquarters in Yangjae-dong, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

-What inspired you from a business perspective?

▲I was inspired by the Medici family, who led the Renaissance. I thought a similar role was needed in dance, which, compared to music or art, has always been more distant from the public. In the past, a single family played that role, but now I believe "solidarity" can fill that position. With the desire to become a patron who supports good artists and dancers, I have run the "Yeonist" community for more than 11 years, and the profits generated there are donated to orphanages or used to support artists.

-You have worked on various projects themed around AI and art with neuroscientist Professor Daesik Kim. What led you to start this project?

▲Director Dayoung Lee invited me to a community where intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and artists gather. Professor Kim was at the center of it. At the time, the metaverse (extended virtual world) was a hot topic due to the impact of COVID-19, and I was translating that into choreography and applying it to community content. Professor Kim said, "The signs of AI are not ordinary, so let's study together," and raised the issue. Since both researching professors and practicing artists were there, we decided to produce results on a common theme, which led to the creation of a "generative opera" and the publication of the book "The Age of Generative Art." Those kinds of projects have continued since then.

-Was your desire to promote dance at the core of this?

▲People live with thirst and anxiety for things they do not have. But the ability to feel that anxiety itself means you are alive and healthy. Dance is an art in which my body is the tool. Just by having a body, half of what you want is already fulfilled, so the process of filling the other half can be enjoyed as well. Making the public aware of this is the role of dance.

-Did any personal experiences shape that perspective?

▲There was a time when I suffered from thyroid disease for four to five years. I had to take a year off from university to fully recover my health. When I was sick, nothing else mattered. These are things you don't realize when you're healthy. At that time, I envied everyone who worked with a healthy body. But after returning to school and taking a choreography class, I realized the essential value of dance and found my own guiding principles. That has led to all my current activities.

At the domestic global startup fair 'NextRise 2021 Seoul' held in 2021, choreographer Hyeyeon Kim, CEO of Yeonist Company, showcased choreography with the AI robot Spot. Photo by Hyeyeon Kim

-In 2021, you danced with the AI robot "Spot." What was that experience like?

▲I was the first artist to be matched when Hyundai Motor acquired Boston Dynamics. I worked with Zero-One, Hyundai's in-house startup incubator, and developers worked to collect data on everything from Spot's gait, the angle at which it lifts its legs, to the angle at which it sits. For example, when I fanned its hip, it wriggled, and when I played the janggu drum, it would happily mimic the drumming. Since this was before AI and robotics had become highly advanced, it was a bit rough, but as I worked together, I grew attached to the AI robot and became more interested in expanding into art.

-Did you feel the robot was another "you"?

▲I also see dance as an extension of myself. Even if another dancer expresses my ideas, as long as it originates from my identity, it is still my work. The same applies when the form changes from a human body to a robot or AI. The person providing the original source or foundation is the most important. That's why I feel heartbroken when the robot falls—because it is an extension of myself. As robotics develop further, I think this concept of extension will become even more significant.

-What do you see as the current trend in the choreography and performing arts scene?

▲People say the AI era is creating polarization, and that's happening in dance as well. AI is now actively entering artists' themes and is included in many projects receiving support. Artists are splitting into two camps: those curious about AI who actively embrace it, and those who explicitly refuse to use it and drive their artistic vision even more obsessively through pure work. The cases that are ambiguously in between are disappearing.

-Do you have any advice for junior choreographers or those who dream of following a similar path?

▲I would advise reading many books, meeting many people, and traveling to many places. Books let you experience the world quickly by yourself, and meeting people connects you to other worlds. To young female juniors, I say youth itself is your greatest weapon. Being empty or lacking is not a disadvantage—it is an incredible advantage. Because you lack something, others will want to help and fill those gaps. So don't be shy—always put yourself out there. Stepping onto unfamiliar ground and experiencing it with all five senses is the biggest way to expand your world. In the AI era, the saying "direction over speed" is outdated. Both are important, but now speed determines direction. Unlike the days when we just pondered and philosophized, now we have to experience things with our bodies. Especially with AI, you won't understand unless you try it. I'm not saying you should just get swept along—I'm saying you should move your body to find your center within that speed. The AI era is actually a time when the body becomes even more important.

Choreographer Hye-Yeon Kim, CEO of Yeonist Company, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at Hyundai Motor Group headquarters in Yangjae-dong, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

▶About Choreographer Hyeyeon Kim, CEO of Yeonist Company

A choreographer working with generative AI and CEO of the art content planning agency Yeonist Company. She presents choreography and dance content with the motto "Everything We Move Is Dance." In 2021, she showcased a dance performance with Boston Dynamics' quadruped AI robot "Spot." She is co-author of "Between Humans," "Nonexistent Movies," and "The Age of Generative Art."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.