Jaha Koo wins prestigious International Ibsen Award

Theatre maker, video artist and composer Jaha Koo has been awarded the International Ibsen Award, the world’s most prestigious theatre prize. The award is presented every two years by an international jury of renowned artistic leaders from the worlds of dance and theatre.

The International Ibsen Award honours an individual artist, institution or company for adding new artistic dimensions to the world of the performing arts. 

Since 2017, Jaha Koo has been creating work under the auspices of arts centre CAMPO in Ghent. 

With his successful Hamartia Trilogy – his graduation project at DAS Theater Lolling&Rolling (2015), Cuckoo (2017) and The History of Korean Western Theatre (2020) – Jaha continues to tour the world to this day. In 2024, the acclaimed Haribo Kimchi was added to the repertoire. 

The History of Korean Western Theatre and Haribo Kimchi were part of the official TheaterFestival selection in Flanders in respectively 2021 and 2025. 

It is exceptional for such a relatively young repertoire to be considered for the Ibsen Prize. Previous recipients of the prize have included Peter Brook, Peter Handke, Christoph Marthaler, Forced Entertainment, Lola Arias,… Koo is the youngest recipient of the award, and the first with an Asian background.

“I see this prize not only as a recognition of my own work, but also of all artists who move beyond what is traditionally considered theatre, and who create works for people who may not previously have felt addressed,” Jaha says.

"Innovative and deeply human theatre"

According to the jury’s statement, Jaha is awarded the International Ibsen Award for “his innovative and deeply human theatre.”

“The theatre he creates is quiet, yet deeply political. It cuts through ideological noise and speaks directly to our shared human experience,” says Ingrid Lorentzen, chair of the jury and artistic director of the Norwegian National Ballet. 

The jury further writes that “through humor, poetry, and technological ingenuity, Koo opens up reflections on identity, belonging, and the aftereffects of colonial histories.”

At CAMPO, we are grateful for the journey we are undertaking together with this exceptional artist. Our warmest congratulations to Jaha Koo and Eunkyung Jeong (his artistic collaborator since the beginning) and to everyone within and outside CAMPO who has been creating and touring with them for years. 

Jaha Koo began his work in Belgium in collaboration with Kunstenwerkplaats KWP. Since 2017, he has been working under the auspices of CAMPO, which tours all his existing productions. In 2027, Jaha Koo will create a new production with LOD music theatre. 

A huge thank you also goes to all the people, venues, festivals, co-producers, … who support and present Jaha’s work. Thanks to their trust, Jaha has been able to build up a large and enthusiastic audience over the last ten years. 

The award ceremony of the International Ibsen Award will take place on 26 September at the National Theatre in Oslo. Cuckoo, Jaha Koo’s most successful solo piece to date, will be performed on 27 September in the same venue.