WBW: Best Old School Dances
The horse dance, the crab dance, the arrogant dance, the finger wag dance. K-pop fans will probably recognize these names as the moves to some of their favorite songs from the past few years. Dances are a huge part of our favorite hits and in some ways even bigger than the music itself. But cool dances aren't a new thing as K-pop has been churning out fun dance moves for years. Today'sWay Back Wednesdaywill take a look at some of the most best known and most popular dances from the past. This just a short list of some of my personal favorites but please share your own so everyone can take a trip way back.
The Butt Bounce: H.O.T - "Candy"
Of all their hits and all the dances that along with them, the single, most famous dance move just might be leaderMoon Hee Junbouncing on his behind in their breakout hit. It's been copied, parodied, and is now a part of K-pop history.
The Jumping Jack: S.E.S - "I'm Your Girl"
The simple yet effective dance was another brainchild of H.O.T member Moon Hee Jun and the popularity of the dance and the song help solidify theirS.E.S'splace as one of the most popular girl groups in K-pop history.
The Tango: Hyori & Rain
The two uber-stars joined forces during the2003MBC Movie Awardsto perform their version of the famous Argentinian dance and it became one of the legendary dance performances in K-pop history. The dance became so iconic that six years later during the 2009 'Infinity Challenge' summer music special, singerLee Jung Hyunrefused to do a tango with partnerJun Jinbecause she didn't want to be compared to this dance. That's called staying power.
The Bokko Craze: Bae Seul Ki
One of the most popular variety shows in 2005 was theKang Ho Donghosted 'Love Letter'. The show featured male and female celebrities vying for each other's affection by showing off their various skills. It was then thatThe RedmemberBae Seul Kiunleashed the "bokko dance" (retro dance) onto K-pop. Set toDJ Volcano's"Free Storm", it wasn't a set dance routine but more of the dancer's interpretation of old school dance moves. The bokko dance was so popular, it became a regular part of the show and viewers would tune-in just to watch that week's version which included many of the cast male members likeU-Know Yunho,Kim Jong Min, andChun Myung Hoon.
The Shake: Jewelry - "Superstar"
"Superstar" was the title single fromJewelry'sfourth album (written byShinhwamemberLee Min Woo) and saw the ladies go with a more sexy concept which included the infamous body/booty shake. The dance was literally memberSeo In Youngstepping to the front during a section and literally just doing a little shake. It was the smallest little thing that became a massive hit.
The Chasing Kim Jong Gook: Haha - "Love Is"
Some of you may be saying, "Love Is? That's aTurbosong!" Quite right you are but when this dance became popular again was through the variety show 'X-Man'. Cast memberHahadecided that in order to haveYoon Eun Hyeselect him as her partner, he needed to catch the man she had a relationship;Kim Jong Gook. That started a period when Haha would pull out old Turbo dances and perform them but it all started with "Love Is" during a special episode from Pattaya, Thailand.
Starts at the 1:47 mark
The Sexy Solo Female Dance: Ivy - "A-Ha", Chae Yeon - "Two of Us"
While both these singers deserve their own place in K-pop lore, they're grouped together because both Ivy and Chae Yeon rose to fame from their sexy images and music aided by their unforgettable dances. Ivy's "A-Ha" was one of the hottest dances that had come out in a long time and was famously parodied by comedian Park Kyung Lim. Chae Yeon's "Two of Us" also became a big hit with the arm/elbow jab/swoop move almost universally known to fans.
The Next Generation
K-pop is unique in that the choreography is such an important part of the genre and that importance has been around long before today's stars. While there are so many more cool dances out there, these were some of my favorite dances from back in the day. I can't wait to see what's next.