Photos of South Korea's last circus

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.

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)

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)

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)

Acrobat Du Zhaofei, 15, performs during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 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)

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)

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 warms 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)

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)

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 arrive at the big top of Dongchoon Circus Troupe in Ansan, South Korea, Tuesday, June 10, 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)

Acrobats from Dongchoon Circus Troupe perform during a daily regular performance in Ansan, South Korea, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean Penn has built one of the most decorated careers in contemporary acting, and he has added another Oscar to the list.

On Sunday, Penn won the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s political drama “One Battle After Another.” He delivered a commanding portrayal of a seasoned power broker navigating the shifting loyalties and ideological battles at the center of the film.

Penn, 65, did not attend the Oscars.

“He couldn’t be here tonight, or he didn’t want to,” Kieran Culkin said after announcing Penn as the winner.

It's not the first time Penn has been an Oscars no-show. He's previously skipped the show three times when he was nominated for “Dead Man Walking” in 1996, “Sweet and Lowdown” in 2000 and “I Am Sam” in 2002.

In 2022, Penn gave one of the Oscar statuettes to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Penn bowed out from attending the BAFTAs and Actor Awards this year.

In the movie, Penn plays a calculating strategist named Col. Steven J. Lockjaw whose decades of experience in political movements give him both influence and scars. His character carries the weight of past victories and failures, offering sharp insights while quietly pulling strings behind the scenes. The performance blends Penn’s trademark intensity with moments of restraint, delivering a standout performance among the film’s talented ensemble.

The win marks Penn’s third Academy Award.

The actor did attend when he previously won two Academy Awards for best actor for Clint Eastwood’s 2003 crime drama “Mystic River” and for portraying San Francisco politician and LGBTQ rights pioneer Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant’s 2008 biopic “Milk.”

Penn first gained attention in the 1980s, with films including “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” but quickly established himself as one of Hollywood’s most fearless dramatic actors. Over the decades he has delivered acclaimed performances in films such as “Dead Man Walking,” “Carlito’s Way,” “The Thin Red Line,” and “I Am Sam.”

His performance in “One Battle After Another” adds another acclaimed role to a career defined by intense and transformative performances.

Other nominees included cast member Delroy Lindo, Benicio Del Toro, Jacob Elordi and Stellan Skarsgård.

For more coverage of the 2026 Oscars, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards

Kieran Culkin presents the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)