Lia Kim reveals why she is 'dating, not married': 'An artist rather than an ajumma'

The reason why world-renowned choreographer Lia Kim has not married despite a long-term relationship has been revealed. Yoon Yeo-uk, her partner of 19 years and business partner, cited Lia Kim's artistic activities and psychological burden as the background for not marrying, stating, "I did not want to attach the label of 'ajumma' (middle-aged woman) to her." The explanation is that he wanted to protect her time living as an individual artist rather than her relational status as a loved one.

In the 8th episode of the EBS documentary series 'Witnessing the Times' broadcast on the 4th, the life of Lia Kim, who serves as a K-POP choreographer and the CEO of the dance creative company 1MILLION, was highlighted. Unlike the current state of the star choreographer who creates brilliant performances on stage, there was a time when she had to fight with herself for a long time after stepping down from the top.

Lia Kim stood out in the 2000s street dance scene, which was dominated by male dancers, through popping and locking. Her most powerful weapons were precise body movements, intense facial expressions, and the ability to visualize music through her body. As she freely moved between street dance and choreography and achieved consecutive successes in world competitions, her conviction that she was at the top grew at some point.

Looking back at that time, Lia Kim confessed, "I succeeded in the goal I set when I first started dancing. It had only been 5 to 6 years since I started dancing, but I took first place in both locking and popping," adding, "While I was completely immersed in the thought that 'I am the best,' I was simultaneously afraid of losing it." While success built her confidence, it simultaneously returned as the fear that she might lose that success.

The decisive event was a popping battle against a teenage boy from China in 2011. Lia Kim, who held pride as a world champion, experienced an unexpected defeat in the round of 32. She confessed that she was so shocked at the time that she wanted to quit dancing, saying, "'I am a world champion, and I lost to him?' That thought came to me. My pride was hurt, and I didn't want to admit it." She continued, "I hid alone in a dark place. I cried and even gained weight."

The slump that started that way did not end shortly. According to Lia Kim, it lasted for as long as 7 to 8 years until just before the establishment of 1MILLION. It meant that after the standard of being 'the best,' which she once regarded as her reason for existence, collapsed, it took a long time to find a new identity. This shows the fact that success does not necessarily guarantee stability even for those who reach the top. Rather, the larger the achievement, the greater the psychological pressure to accept a subsequent decline as a failure.

The person who observed these times most closely was CEO Yoon Yeo-uk. The daily life of the two, revealed at home, captured the image of lovers who have shared a long time of 19 years along with two pet dogs. Recalling Lia Kim's state at that time, Yoon said, "There was excessive anxiety," and "As the shining time passed and the period of fading arrived, she became very anxious."

In particular, regarding the reason for not marrying, he offered an unexpected explanation. Yoon said, "That is also one of the reasons why we do not marry," and "I did not want to attach the label of 'ajumma.' I wanted her to continue her activities as a younger and more beautiful artist." This means that not marrying was not because their relationship was unstable, but rather a choice to allow Lia Kim to focus on living as an artist.

This statement makes one think about how marriage and age have been connected to women in South Korean society. While for male artists, age is often interpreted as an asset of career and experience as they get older, for women, there are still many cases where marital status, age, and appearance are combined with their professional image. While Yoon's expression is somewhat direct, it also contains an awareness of the reality that female artists can be defined by specific social roles before being 'artists' as they age.

Ultimately, Lia Kim's 19-year relationship makes one think about what kind of relationship supports each other's lives and careers rather than the institutional form of marriage. The dancer who feared losing her place at the top went through a long slump and pioneered new stages and business domains, and in that process, her partner of 19 years stayed by her side. In their relationship, what was important was not the marriage itself, but the agreement on what names and in what ways they would live.