By Honorary Reporter Foteini Chatzoudi from Greece

Photos = Dassy Lee

Lee Inyoung, also known as Dassy Lee, is a dancer who was part of the troupe performing "Golden," the hit from the animated blockbuster "KPop Demon Hunters," at this year's Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

Born and raised in Korea and based in Los Angeles, Lee moved to the U.S. in 2012 at age 21 to pursue her dream of becoming a dancer. Today, she is a full-time professional in the field, traveling around the world to teach, judge competitions and perform.

The following are excerpts from an email interview with Lee from March 17-18 on her experience at the Oscars.

Dassy Lee (right) on March 15 performs in the performance of "Golden" at the Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

How did you get involved in the "Golden" performance at the Oscars?

My agent reached out asking if I had ever done traditional Korean dance before. Growing up, I learned buchaechum (traditional fan dance) when I was 5 and also trained in samulnori (traditional percussion) for a few years. Later while living in Korea, I worked on a musical with four traditional dancers and learn basic movements. That experience stayed with me; I was mesmerized by how effortless it looked yet how difficult it was to truly master.

To prepare for the Oscars, I watched almost every Korean dance video I could find online. I didn't want to let my country down. I took this opportunity with so much pride and put in an immense amount of practice. I landed the job and performed in the show.

Dassy Lee (middle in the left image, the second from the right in the first low in the right image) poses with fellow dancers at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

How did it feel to perform traditional Korean dance on such a big global stage?

I was definitely so nervous and didn't want to let my country down, so I practiced every day outside of rehearsals, even dancing in the skirt. I focused on the smallest details like hand movements, arm shapes, steps, and connecting with the floor and my entire body.

It still feels surreal. When I first moved to the U.S., when I said I was Korean, many had never even heard of Korea or only mentioned North Korea. So it's just mind blowing to have performed our traditional performing art on the Oscars stage in 2026.

Which part of the choreography was your favorite to perform and why?

There was a moment where the three of us started with strong poses and traditional dance arm and hand gestures that unfortunately didn't make it on camera. During rehearsals, the camera captured us but the live show didn't, so I was honestly a bit sad. But overall, everything still came out beautifully.

jcy0531@korea.kr

*This article was written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.