Korean Dance Policy (2000–2024): A Stage-Based Analysis of Cultural Governance Transformation and Sustainability

Purpose: Dance has increasingly been recognized not only as an artistic practice but also as a cultural sector with institutional, educational, and socio-economic significance. Since the early 2000s, sustained government intervention in South Korea has reshaped the conditions of dance creation, education, circulation, and interna-tional exchange within the broader K-Culture strategy. However, existing scholarship has largely focused on frag-mented programs or short-term developments, offering limited insight into long-term governance transfor-mation. This study aims to examine the evolution of Korean dance policy from 2000 to 2024 and to identify the governance mechanisms underpinning the sustainability of the dance ecosystem. Method: This study adopts a Narrative Literature Review (NLR) approach to analyze longitudinal policy change in the Korean dance sector. National cultural policy plans, annual reports, and implementation docu-ments issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and key intermediary organizations were systemat-ically reviewed. The analysis focuses on shifts in policy goals, policy instruments, and governance arrangements, through which a stage-based analytical framework was inductively constructed. Results: The findings reveal a three-stage evolution of Korean dance policy. The first stage (2000–2010) em-phasized institutional construction through legal frameworks and foundational public funding. The second stage (2010–2019) focused on industry integration, characterized by project-based support, regional circulation mech-anisms, and ecosystem-building initiatives. The third stage (2020–2024) involved digital expansion and interna-tionalization, driven by digital transformation agendas and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these developments, persistent challenges remain, including fragmented implementation, uneven regional capacity, and insufficient institutional arrangements for platform-based sustainability. Conclusion: Korean dance policy has evolved from finance-centered support toward a more platform-oriented and collaborative governance configuration. Nevertheless, the structural characteristics of dance as a perfor-mance-based art form continue to necessitate sustained public coordination and institutional support. Th e stage-based framework proposed in this study contributes to cultural governance research by illustrating how perform-ing arts policy evolves through cumulative institutional reconfiguration. The findings further suggest that future dance policy should prioritize sustainability-oriented governance integrating education, digital infrastructure, and international cultural circulation.