The “Gat” Phenomenon: Contemporary Ballet Inspired by Traditional Korean Heritage

In the first half of this year, no ballet in Korea stirred up more buzz than “Gat,” a 70-minute contemporary ballet inspired by traditional Korean hats. Created by the newly established Yunbyul Ballet Company, “Gat” completed a six-city national tour, selling out every seat along the way — a rare feat for a fledgling company barely a year old.

The Spark of Inspiration

The spark came in 2019 with Netflix’s “Kingdom,” the Korean zombie thriller set in the Joseon era, which ignited a global fascination with traditional Korean hats. Historically, gat refers to a wide range of hat styles worn according to one’s social class, profession, or a particular occasion. What’s commonly recognized today as gat — the tall, black, wide-brimmed hat — is called "heungnip," traditionally worn by "seonbi," or male scholars.

At the center of it all are two rising creatives — choreographer Park So-yun and Yun Byul, her longtime dance partner and the company’s founder. In a recent interview, they shared that the unexpected journey began with something simple, but with a twist: A ballerina wearing a gat. “I thought the strong cultural significance associated with the male seonbi and their virtues would be more intriguing when worn by a woman,” said Park.

Production and Vignettes

From that short piece, “Gat” naturally expanded into a 70-minute production composed of nine vignettes, each inspired by distinct headwear. Park selected hats with the most vivid imagery to create a deeply Korean form of performance. The production features various traditional elements, including:

• The Red Jurip: Worn by Joseon-era military officers, it becomes a majestic portrait of a female general in a gender-swapping segment.
• Satgat: A wide straw hat that tells the tale of a lone wanderer.
• Paeraengi: A humble commoner’s hat that becomes a rhythmic, playful dance of traveling merchants.
• Jokduri: A delicate bridal coronet that captures the shyness and excitement of a woman before her wedding.
• Heungnip: These hats, combined with en pointe technique, evoke the image of calligraphy brushes or ghostly, Korean-style grim reapers moving through fog.

Pop Culture and Viral Stardom

The excitement didn’t stop there, as the show struck a chord with a global audience. Following the global success of Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” social media users began drawing comparisons between the film's fictional boy band, the Saja Boys, and the five ballerinos in “Gat.” Their playful curtain call — a nod to the demon boy band's signature poses — brought this ghostly ballet back into the spotlight, racking up 1.94 million views on Instagram.

Furthermore, the second run, following its 2024 premiere, drew a wave of fans eager to see the ballerinos who rose to stardom through Mnet’s hit dance competition "Stage Fighter." “This year, with the national tour and everything, we’ve been overwhelmed — incredibly busy, but just really happy,” the pair said.