ANSAN, South Korea (AP) - The century-old Dongchoon Circus Troupe is the last circus in South Korea.
Such entertainments peaked before most South Korean homes had televisions. They had animal acts, magic shows, acrobatic performances and singing and acting on stage. Then the audiences faded, and the performers left the circuses to work in TV and film.
Now there is just Dongchoon and its acrobats, who are all Chinese.
Park Sae-hwan, the head of the circus, said in a recent Associated Press interview that he feels a heavy responsibility "because if Dongchoon stops, our country´s circus, one genre in our performing arts, will disappear. That´s the problem."
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Acrobats from Dongchoon Circus Troupe perform during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Spectators wait for the start of a performance at the big top of Dongchoon Circus Troupe, South Korea's last-remaining circus, in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Spectators arrive at the big top of Dongchoon Circus Troupe in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Acrobats from Dongchoon Circus Troupe perform during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Dongchoon Circus Troupe acrobats warm up ahead of a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Artists from Dongchoon Circus Troupe perform during a daily regular show in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
An acrobat from Dongchoon Circus Troupe warms up ahead of a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
The big top of Dongchoon Circus Troupe, South Korea's last-remaining circus, is seen in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
An acrobat from Dongchoon Circus Troupe performs during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Acrobats from Dongchoon Circus Troupe which is South Korea's last-remaining circus, perform during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
An acrobat from Dongchoon Circus Troupe performs during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
An old newspaper that shows Park Sae-hwan, 80, head of the circus, is placed near the Dongchoon Circus Troupe big top entrance gate in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Acrobat Du Zhaofei, 15, performs during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Xing Jiangtao, a 37-year-old Chinese, who has been working for Dongchoon Circus Troupe since 2002, speaks during an interview at the circus' big top in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
An acrobat from Dongchoon Circus Troupe performs during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
An acrobat from Dongchoon Circus Troupe which South Korea's last-remaining circus, performs during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)