Hustle

Yadanbeopseok (Hustle) is one of the final presentations produced as part of Stage 2: Traditional Performing Arts × Virtual Space Workshop within the 2022 K-Arts Art Collider: Art–Game–Collision program. I participated in the program as a tutor and worked as a technician for the student projects, providing technical guidance and hands-on production support throughout the process. Developed during a period when live audiences were unable to attend performances due to COVID-19 restrictions, Yadanbeopseok explored how audiences could collectively experience a performance through a shared virtual space. Using Unity, we constructed a virtual performance environment that was streamed via Zoom, allowing audiences to participate in the performance remotely. Dance movements were pre-recorded as 3D animations, and during the live performance, both the music and the recorded choreography were dynamically adjusted in real time, creating a hybrid form of performance that combined pre-recorded motion with live control. Within the virtual space, a host wearing a VR headset moved through the performance environment, acting as the audience’s eyes. As the host navigated the space and observed the dance, remote audiences followed this viewpoint through Zoom, experiencing the performance from within the virtual environment. Beyond the performance itself, the act of “going to the theater” was also designed as part of the experience. A dedicated website was created to guide audiences into the performance space via Zoom, allowing them to gradually encounter and understand the narrative of Hustle before entering the live virtual performance.