the Dong Choon Circus Troupe for about 40 years, performs with dogs at the troupe's tent theatre in Seoul

Kim Young-hee, 47, an acrobat at the Dong Choon Circus Troupe for about 40 years, performs with dogs at the troupe's tent theatre in Seoul November 24, 2009. South Korea's last remaining circus troupe, Dong Choon, was established in 1925 and maintained widespread popularity until the early 1970s. Performers of Dong Choon enjoyed celebrity status but with the introduction of television and popular culture, the circus industry's popularity and success has stagnated. Recent global developments, such as the economic crisis and the H1N1 flu pandemic, have compounded the problem by causing the average attendance to plummet between 20 and 30 spectators from the nearly 600 attendees the troupe enjoyed at its peak. Dong Choon's last show was planned on November 14, 2009 but with limited financial support from the government, the troupe decided to continue their shows amid a bleak future. Picture taken on November 24, 2009.