North Korean Dancer Sends Chuseok Greetings to South

Jo Myung Ae, a North Korean dancer, sent the South Korean people a message of greetings for Chuseok, Korea`s traditional Thanksgiving holiday, after shooting a commercial, "One Vibration," for Samsung`s Anycall with South Korean singer Lee Hyo-ri on September 12 and 13 in Shanghai, China.

"Hyo-ri and South Korean people are really kind. People in the North also visit their ancestor`s graves and hold memorial services for ancestors in Chuseok. I wish all South Koreans a happy holiday."

The commercial, which will be aired starting October, is part of a trilogy of commercials from Samsung called “One Encounter, One Song, and One Hope,” and contain scenes from a concert in which the two celebrities sing together.

Jo Myung Ae, who taught Korean traditional dance and developed a close friendship with Lee, said, "North Korea designated this year as a year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the nation`s liberation from the Japanese colonial rule, so there have been a variety of events. I hope the two Koreas further enhance the move toward national reconciliation."

On a different subject, she added, "My Mr. Right is a man who has a very neat style with a pale complexion and short hair. I really appreciate South Korean fans for their love."

Managing-director Yoo Jeong-keun at Cheil Communications, which produced the commercials, said, "We wanted to describe the encounter of two young people from both South and North Korea in a touching way, where the two acknowledge and harmonize each other`s different cultures by breaking away from past confrontations.

Sun-Mi Kim kimsunmi@donga.com