K-pop is a rising music genre. Originating from South Korea, the numerous male and female K-pop groups have led to a Korean pop culture phenomenon. People on every continent are beginning to enjoy and replicate their favorite K-pop idols.
Dancing is one of the main reasons why K-pop groups such as BTS and EXO become so popular. Unlike American pop artists, K-pop groups consist of more than one member, which means their dances are great for groups, teams, and friends.
Over the last few years, K-pop has been changing the global understanding of dance. With popular K-pop groups even offering full covers of how to do their moves, it is important to take a step back and see how this all came to be.
K-pop has a long history with many stars coming from its success. Let’s look over a quick timeline of the most important aspects of K-pop dance history over the last 70 years.
The Kim Sisters of the 1950s
K-pop originated in the 1950s when celebrities and musicians began to capture a global audience. The first K-pop band was the Kim Sisters, a dynamic trio of three South Korean women who spoke no English but covered American songs.
They would end up touring the US and reaching even more success than imaginable. Later, they would be act on the Ed Sullivan show over 22 times, a true testament to their skills.
The Kim Sisters would play instruments, sing, and dance during their act. While many of their dances were not as extreme as current forms, they led the way in what would become K-pop dance.
The Dancing Activism of the 1970s
While many artists would rise between the 1950s and the 1970s, it’s important to note the significant tone shift of the artists performing. The 70s were full of activism and civil protests, so it would make sense that the music and dance of K-pop reflected this.
Much of the music performed during this time was full of messages about the political unrest around the talents. Kim Min-Ki would eventually become a header for the South Korean pro-democracy movement for his performances on freedom.
Despite wanting to send a clear message, artists also had to appeal to the public. To do this, many performers started hiding a song’s true meaning under allegories and dances. Dancing became a method to keep the people on their while still sharing their stance.
The K-Pop Stars in the 1990s to 2010s
The 1990s and early 2000s gave way to more technological advancements. During this era, companies began training new generations of K-pop stars. Members of these K-pop groups went through boot camps to dance, sing, and act in their personas.
This first generation of dancers came out with pop songs that would dominate South Korea’s and Japan’s music charts. This encouraged more headway in making the second generation of K-pop stars, which would debut in the early 2010s.
As the 2010s began to see the influx of social media, this is where K-pop dancing became so important. Through the choreography, many fans worldwide began to grow on the rising stars. Some of these K-pop groups were Super Junior and BIGBANG.
Social media became a huge reason for the influx of fans. YouTube, Instagram, Tumblr, and Vine all began to have groups of dancers performing the songs, making the music more popular. This brought attention to something not usually seen in American celebrities.
From this, the audience of K-pop grew. Dancing became a way for fans to interact with each other and grow closer to their favorite stars. This would only increase in the next couple of years.
The Current State of K-Pop Dance
K-pop dance reached some of its highest marks with the debut of BTS. For those unaware, BTS is a K-pop band consisting of seven members. Each of these stars does their dances and sings their lyrics.
BTS’s dances and music are what captivated audiences. They would be able to sing while doing extremely intensive dance moves, proving they were not only fit but also extraordinary talents. As their popularity soared, so did the dance covers surrounding them.
These dance covers may seem like a small endeavor. However, fans of BTS know their moves by heart. Concerts with the group see fanatics able to keep up with the audience as they groove.
Through dance, BTS was able to help extend people’s perception of K-pop and make it a world-renowned genre. If you’d like to learn how to do some of the dances yourself, you can sign up with On One Studios for the best K-pop dance classes.