There are, of course, going to be some dances that stand out to me more than others, and that's why I'm making this list! I don't watch very many music shows every week, but I have made a habit of watching Arirang's Simply K-Pop at the weekends (since we actually get that station through cable over here) as well as watching dance practice videos on YouTube if I'm interested in the song itself. That means I not only get to enjoy the song and the members' performances, but I also get to see the routines! So based on what I've seen this year so far, I wanted to list my favourites. Like my list of songs, these are in no particular order. For the time being, anyway. 😉
WEKI MEKI (위키미키) - LA LA LA
But then I watched Simply K-Pop that weekend... and I saw the choreography.
HOLY MOTHER OF FUCK.
I'm normally a very talkative person. I like giving my comments and opinions on things as they happen. So, as I'm watching a new routine for the first time, I'll normally be commenting on various different things in my own head, trying to actively form an opinion. But this motherfucking choreography had me speechless. My jaw hit the goddamn floor. JUST LIKE WEKI MEKI DID IN THAT SECOND VERSE.
This entire goddamn routine is one of the sharpest and cleanest I've seen in a loooooong time. I desperately want to know who choreographed this. If it was Kyle again? FUCK YES BOI YOU KEEP BEING AMAZING. If it was someone else? I WANT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE BECAUSE YOU ARE MY NEW FAVOURITE PERSON. This is one of those songs that was elevated onto an entire new level because of the choreography alone for me. It's a rare occurrence. But when it does happen, like it did here, I'm so damn appreciative of it.
CHUNGHA (청하) - ROLLERCOASTER
This was another one of those songs that I actually didn't like at first, but then seeing the dance made me absolutely love it! Leave it to Ms. Dancing Queen Kim Chungha to have such a tight choreography like this. I actually learned just the chorus of this dance in the middle of exams (since I didn't have time to learn the whole thing) just so I knew how to do that badass hand gesture.
You know the one. The one where it looks like you're breaking your wrists (and elbows).
It's... not painful at all, actually. Not once you learn how to do it. 😊
There's something about this choreography that just suits Chungha perfectly. It's graceful, yet sharp and very precise at the same time - just like she is. Also that leg part at the beginning is super fucking cute.
So yeah, if this is the sort of consistency Chungha is going to have with her comebacks - in terms of both songs and choreographies - I'm more than up for it! I'm glad to see she's getting the spotlight she deserves, because she really does have such a unique vibe about her that I just adore.
MAMAMOO (마마무) - STARRY NIGHT (별이빛나는 밤)
Every now and again I'll come across a dance that I love, not because of how complicated it is, but because of how graceful and elegant it is. It happened last year with Melody Day's "Kiss on the Lips" - and this year it seems to have happened with MAMAMOO. I mean, I adore these girls as it is - I've had them as one of my bias groups since they debuted. But this is definitely one of their more simple, yet at the same time extremely elegant routines. While "Starry Night" itself as a song hasn't stuck with me as much as I thought it would have, the choreography is reeeeeally nice to watch. When MAMAMOO themselves are actually doing the dance, and not being lovable idiots in the dance practice, that is.
There's something about all the tiny little details and hand movements that makes the choreography really eye-catching, if you ask me. MAMAMOO isn't really a group to do concepts like this, but this sort of dance actually suits them incredibly well! They get to show off their more 'sensual' and mature side, if you will, which - considering how sassy or bubbly they can normally be - is such a refreshing change of pace.
Also jesus fucking christ Hwasa you are going to kill me someday.
DREAMCATCHER (드림캐쳐) - YOU AND I
I don't really feel like I should have to explain myself too much on this one, but I'll try to anyway. 'Cause fuck it. I like getting to talk about Dreamcatcher.
Dreamcatcher are one of those groups who live and breathe their concept. I don't know if there are very many groups out there who could pull off a horror concept as well as they have - well, with the exception of Ladies' Code. Hate You was, and a still is, fantastic. But what I mean when I say that Dreamcatcher live and breathe it is that they not only have the horror-inspired MVs and outfits, but their stage presence and ESPECIALLY their choreography are just perfect in terms of the overall horror theme. I mean, just look at this shit:
The movements are stilted, and Sua gets dragged about the floor like something you'd see in a case of demonic possession. It's creepy in the best fucking way. And yes, it may not be as complex as some of Dreamcatcher's other choreographies - this routine seems like a breeze compared to something like "Chase Me" - but what this routine lacks in pure energy, it makes up for in the finer details. The hand positions, the positioning of the members... it all comes together extremely well, and makes most of this look pretty effortless for them.
Plus, they use cute lil scarves! 😀 Props in K-Pop are kinda a secret love of mine, and in this dance alone, we've got fancy scarves AND Dami being a magician? Sign me the fuck up, please and thanks.
BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) - DDU DU DDU DU (뚜두뚜두)
I'll be honest, both of BLACKPINK's choreographies this time around just about knocked my socks off. I've loved them until now, but this comeback really seems to be where they've got everything perfect. But after going back and watching both dance practices again, "DDU DU DDU DU" verrrrrrry narrowly beats out "Forever Young" for me in terms of choreography.
While BLACKPINK's choreographies until now have been pretty high-energy, they haven't been too... detailed. Or overly hard. And I am by no means saying that the girls can't carry their choreographies - they sure as hell fucking can. But the routines they've been given haven't given them a proper chance to shine, if you ask me. Maybe that was intentional? I don't know. Papa YG can be weird when he wants to be. But what I do know is that none of those routines have had the same level of detail and precision that "DDU DU DDU DU"'s choreo has, and precision like this is something I absolutely adore.
Just like the song shows that BLACKPINK aren't here to fuck around, neither does the choreo. All 4 of the girls know they look like badass bitches - or boss bitches, in Jennie's case - while doing it. And you don't need facial expressions to show that off - that's shown off in the way they do the routine itself! They're all really fluent, their actions are sharp, and I don't think they missed a single beat. And honestly, I know I called her out already but Jisoo's improvement is fucking phenomenal. That girl should be so goddamn proud of herself for how far she's come. 👏👏👏
And this part right here? HOLY WOW THIS IS IMPRESSIVE. This sort of staggered/layered choreography is so fucking hard to nail, and yet here are BLACKPINK looking like they've been doing this shit since they were born. If any of their future comebacks can be as good as this, if not better... we're in for one hell of a ride. 😃
(G)-IDLE ((여자)아이들) - LATATA (라타타)
GROUPS LIKE (G)-IDLE ARE THE REASON I FUCKING LOVE K-POP ROOKIE GROUPS.
These girls were... one of the biggest surprises of this year for me. I mean... when I heard CUBE was debuting a new girl group, I was immediately cynical. They already don't treat CLC well enough - and they never really treated 4minute right in their later years - so why should I believe their new girl group would be anything to get excited about?
HOLY MOTHER OF FUCK WAS I WRONG.
(G)-IDLE may be my favourite rookies of the year so far. Not just because "LATATA" is tight as fuck, not because the members are fucking gorgeous, not just because Yuqi and Minnie's voices are some of the most beautiful and unique in K-Pop. It's because of this goddamn choreography.
(G)-IDLE are on the same level as BLACKPINK for me in terms of how well the members pull off the choreo. I mean, I know BLACKPINK have got their own standards when it comes to precision, but this is just fucking ridiculous. They're all so in sync that it actually pisses me off a bit sometimes. THIS is how you do a badass & elegant group formation.
And all the tiny little hand movements?! THOSE ARE SOMETHING THAT CAN TAKE WAY TOO LONG TO PERFECT, LET ALONE GET RIGHT. They may look simple enough mixed in with the rest of the dance, but trust me, it's simple-looking shit like this that ends up being the most complex parts of the entire thing. And here they are fucking schooling EVERYONE on how to do it. As well as how to look confident as fuck while doing so.
This routine is just... the perfect mixture of elegant and badass. (G)-IDLE are a rookie group, but in this dance practice - as well as their live performances, might I add - they come across as a group with years of experience. There's a reason there's been so much buzz about them this year. If they're this good NOW... what the fuck are they going to be like in a few years time? We might have another supergroup on our hands. And if this is the sort of standard they're going to bring to the table, CUBE can take all of my money right the fuck now.
PRISTIN V (프리스틴 V) - GET IT (네 멋대로)
As someone who wasn't expecting a lot from this subunit, and as someone who's never been overly amazed by PRISTIN's dances as an entire group: HOW THE ABSOLUTE FUCK IS THIS CHOREOGRAPHY SO GOOD.
If you had told me when I listened to this song for the first time that the choreography would be this tight?! I wouldn't have believed you for shit! These little hand movements in the chorus are *FUCKING RAZOR SHARP*. It's news to me that PRISTIN can dance this well, even if it is just a subunit. These sorts of dance steps are steps that a lot of other people would probably look incredibly awkward doing - it'd probably just look like they're a beached fish flapping their arms about (myself included). And yet, here are PRISTIN V doing 'em like it's nothing. How the fuck.
On top of all that, this dance shows off my fucking FAVOURITE thing about PRISTIN - EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS' CHARMS.
There's a very specific tactic used in this dance - the use of levels. But not in the way it's normally done - this routine doesn't just shove a member to the front of the choreo, and get the cameraman to focus in on their face to let us forget the other members exist for a second or two. After watching it a few times, I noticed that it's much more complex than that. It helps each member stand out as they sing or rap their lines, yes, but it has so much extra room to let them show off their personality a bit. This is what all K-Pop choreographies should strive to achieve, if you ask me! This is exactly what I mean when I talk about each member having their own charms in a K-Pop group - each member should each stand out in their own way, but all of them should then come together as a whole to make a well-rounded, capable group. And that's exactly what PRISTIN V manages to do, both in terms of "Get It" as a song, and in terms of the choreography.
PRISTIN, can I have my fucking wig back now? 'Cause y'all snatched it. And I want it back. Thanks.
NCT U (엔시티 유) - BABY DON'T STOP
...d-do I even need to explain why this is here? IT'S TEN. IN A DANCE. THAT SHOULD BE EXPLANATION ENOUGH.
The great thing is, while Ten always manages to steal the show in any choreography he's in for me, that doesn't mean Taeyong can't pull his weight - cause he does! Excellently, too! Ten is the more precise, knife-sharp dancer while Taeyong is relaxed and smooth without making it look like he doesn't care. That's the best part of this dance for me, to be honest - the way Ten and Taeyong work off of one another as a duo. Whoever decided these two needed to be their own subunit SERIOUSLY needs a raise. 🙌
I mean, just LOOK at this shit! You'd think they were connected at the hip or something... The chemistry in this routine alone between Ten and Taeyong is so fucking impressive, and it's something that you can't really rehearse. It all comes naturally - you either have it or you don't. And it just so happens that both of them definitely have it, and the choreography to "Baby Don't Stop" manages to bring that shared skill into the spotlight. I'm so fucking glad it did, too.
...hoo boi. This is not a song I thought I'd ever include on a list of my favourites. Welp, here goes nothing:
TWICE (트와이스) - WHAT IS LOVE?
Mm. "What Is Love?" indeed. 'Cause this routine has me questioning everything in my goddamn life.
Okay, hear me out. This is... bar none, my most hated song of the year so far. I'm so sick and tired of TWICE's overly-cutesy styling - most of the members are either in their late teenage years, or are full-fledged adults - and repetitive songs. "Heart Shaker" and "What Is Love?" are so similar that it's honestly kinda lazy. Also, am I the only one who finds this song's lyrics insanely fucking creepy? Here's J.Y. Park, a man in his 40s, writing a song for teenage/young adult girls about never having been in love before. AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO FINDS THAT RIDICULOUSLY FUCKING CREEPY?!
And yet... the choreography to this song is way fucking better than it has any right to be. Seriously.
This reeeeeeally shows off how well-trained the girls of TWICE actually are. They never step out of line. Not once. I'm pretty sure the words "out of sync" aren't in their vocabularies. This little of flurry moves in the second verse, in particular, is RIDICULOUSLY STINKING GOOD. How do they manage to do so many moves in such quick succession? ...well, I mean, I know the answer for Momo is because she's a fucking dance goddess, but that's the thing: since TWICE's dances aren't normally anything too complex - or interesting, for that matter - I normally just end up watching Momo and nobody else. But for "What is Love?" I had a hard time actually figuring out who to watch!
On top of all this, the girls' training really comes through in their formations & formation switches. They may as well be cheerleaders at this point, cause they sure are good at being in line with one another.
...maybe that's why they did Cheer Up? Well even if it is, that song deserves to diE SLOWLY IN A DUMPSTER FIRE.
Anyway.
My favourite part of the dance itself is probably this little section of footwork towards the end - I haven't given a go at learning it myself just yet, but it looks really fun yet complex at the same time! And the way the girls themselves bob up and down makes everything really playful and fun to watch. It's kinda the pinnacle of a dance that... somehow managed to completely surpass all of my expectations. Which, going into watching this dance practice for the first time, I didn't even HAVE any expectations. So yeah. That's when you know it's good.
Now, if we could just get a better song to go with it... someday we'll get another song that's as good as Knock Knock. Someday. I can hope, at least. 😩
PENTAGON (펜타곤) - SHINE (빛나리)
I know they're not who I'm supposed to be talking about here, but let me talk about SEVETEEN for a second. My favourite song of theirs is, by FAR, "Very Nice". It's a fucking energy drink in song form. The brass elements, the members' performances, and the choreography all come together to create a song that's essentially a musical happy pill. The choreography, in particular, is my favourite - all of the members are so in sync with one another, but it's got this huge sense of bombast to it that just makes you want to try and imitate it even if you've never seen it in your life before.
Take everything I just said, and read it again - but apply it to Pentagon's "Shine". 'Cause guess what? This song is another "Very Nice" for me, albeit a lot sweeter and heartfelt, and less hormone-fuelled. ESPECIALLY WITH THE DANCE.
↑↑↑ This lil move right here? Every time that first chorus starts up. EVERY. FUCKING. TIME. I cannot help but do this dance. Sitting down, standing up, lying down - doesn't matter. I STILL DO IT. That is the sign of an addictive, well-done dance. It should serve to work alongside the song itself and make it even better, instead of just acting as something that's there for the sake of being there. And just like SEVENTEEN, Pentagon have the right amount of energy and charisma to carry it from start to finish! They all look so goddamn happy to be there, dancing their lil hearts out. If you don't believe me on that, just look at their faces! They're so smiley!! And that just adds to the genuine feel the song already has! It's one of the sweeter love songs in K-Pop this year for me, and the energy Pentagon bring to the dance themselves just makes all of that even more lovable and memorable.
Like, look at this shit, man. That's just fucking adorable. Just like this song. And its lyrics. And the video. And just... yeah. Everything about this comeback is upbeat, high-energy and lovable. I haven't liked a Pentagon song this much since "Critical Beauty", and I'm so, so freaking glad to see these boys are going on a more unique path again when it comes to their music and concepts.
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This probably went on for waaay too long, but y'know what? I don't mind. It's why I made this blog in the first place... I've got to get all these thoughts out somewhere. 😉
