The silk felt cool against my palm as Haejun pressed one end of a crimson ribbon into my hand.
"Everyone takes a ribbon," he instructed, moving through the group with practiced efficiency. "Hold the end loosely—like you're bound, but not trapped."
Each trainee looped the ribbon loosely around their wrist, confusion flickering across their faces.
The fabric was surprisingly heavy, substantial enough to create genuine resistance when pulled.
"We start restrained," Haejun continued, returning to face me with the other end of my ribbon. "Think like marionettes. Let the silk dictate your range of motion."
The opening notes began, and immediately I understood.
My wrist moved where the ribbon allowed, creating an almost hypnotic quality to the gestures.
When I tried to extend my arm fully, the silk held me back, forcing smaller, more intimate movements.
Haejun controlled my ribbon with subtle pulls and releases, guiding my positioning across the stage.
