After noticing numerous lists on YouTube, selecting which K-Pop dances are the hardest, K-Pop YouTuber and dancer "fultimeKfangurl" decided to make her own list with her dancing experience in mind. She claims to have experience and the credentials, meaning she is most likely a seasoned dancer. Want to see what made her list? Check it out here!
1. "24 Hours" - Sunmi
The dance for "24 Hours" might look easy, but it is not. There are many awkward "traps" as she puts it, meaning that while the moves look easy upon viewing, it can look awkward and stiff when executed without proper technique. The dance has moves that are difficult to separate into different distinguishable counts since the body naturally wants to do it as one whole move.
2. "Don't Wanna Cry" - SEVENTEEN
This is one of those dances that look hard and is hard. For a big group like SEVENTEEN, synchronization is key, or else the dance in itself with look messy. Additionally, the chorus involves a lot of popping, which is a skill most people have difficulty with. On top of that, they use their bodies as props, making up settings with their bodies, which means they need to know the dance like the back of their palm to execute properly. We have member Hoshi to thank for such a difficulty choreography - what a talented king!
3. "The 7th Sense" - NCT U
This song, from start to end, is incredibly difficult. And it is well-known for that. In "Produce X 101", one of the songs the trainees had to perform is "The 7th Sense", and it was a song all trained had hoped to avoid due to how difficult it is. Contestant Son Dongpyo said he had to avoid the song at all costs because of how hard it is to digest. Cha Junho said the song is a tight dance, making it difficult.
"The 7th Sense" has a strange concept that is hard to communicate through dance, adding to the difficulty. It is not necessarily sexy and sensual but it is not a cute concept, yet it isn't dark. Due to the strange concept, it is hard to pull off as well as NCT U does.
4. "Cactus" - A.C.E
Yet another dance that is difficult from the start to the end. Just like the chorus of the song, the moves are all fast-paced, meaning the boys rarely have a moment to breathe while dancing. On top of that, synchronization is a huge part of K-Pop, so A.C.E has to get all the moves right at the same time to put on a flawless performance. Additionally, the moves require a high level of self-control due to the isolation needed throughout the dance.
5. "Blood, Sweat, and Tears" - BTS
What makes this dance hard is the constant formation changes. Usually in dances, when you change a position, everyone travels around the same amount to get to their spot. In this dance, however, the length of each member travels is different. Members V and Jungkook notably have to travel the farthest but need to get to their spot at the same time as the other members. It is especially difficult to make a group look cohesive with this. Calculating all that while dancing is difficult, but the boys execute it flawlessly.
6. "Be Natural" - Red Velvet
It is hard to dance elegantly in a chair; most people would just look like they were flailing their arms and legs! Additionally, their dance involves a lot of core usage, meaning they are basically working out their abs while dancing. On top of that, they wear heels, meaning they need to balance themselves properly as they got on top of the chair, to a seating position, and then back up the chair.
7. "HALA HALA" - ATEEZ
As ATEEZ is a group that specializes in dance, it's expected that they will have difficult choreographies. "HALA HALA", however, takes it to the next level. The dance involves a lot of level changes, with some members having to slide on their knees, bend down, get up, and perform with their knees bent. Despite that, the boys are able to pull this dance off flawlessly, proving their capabilities as a dance-focused group.
8. "Lucifer" - SHINee
"Lucifer" and its choreography that set the standard for K-Pop groups and their dances. When the dance practice was released, it was the first time idols were taken seriously as dancers, as most people did not think groups were capable of pulling off a dance performance. The only other artist at the time that was acknowledged for her dance skill was labelmate BoA, but no one expected a group to match her dance skills. SHINee is the group that made difficult dances a staple in mainstream K-Pop. Without "Lucifer", who knows how dancing in K-Pop would be like now?
9. "The Chaser" - INFINITE
INFINITE is one of the groups from the 2nd generation of K-Pop that is respected for their difficult dances. "The Chaser" is known for its clean and sharp moves, which means the boys need to take into account their angles and dynamics as they perform and make sure it matches the other members. Additionally, the sharp choreography has tight formation changes. The dance for the song cemented them as a group that pays a lot of attention to the details in their moves, making sure they pull off a perfect performance.
10. "We Young" - NCT Dream
There is one specific move that makes people stop and go 'Wow, that's hard.' During Chenle's part in the second verse, the members can be seen on the floor - they roll around and twist and untwist their legs like a pretzel, using their knees to boost them up from the floor, turn before they can even get back up back to the floor, kick their legs up in the floor then push themselves off the ground. It's a complicated move that people can easily mess up, but all the members of NCT Dream pull it off. The overall choreography is hard and very detailed, meaning every little movement counts. Wanna try learning it?
11. "MOVE" - Taemin
"MOVE" looks easy upon the first watch, but it isn't. Even professionals have difficulty with it. The song requires a huge amount of body control, moving the hips, torso, and foot as if they weren't connected. The dance is especially difficult for men, who don't have as much control in the hips as women do. That's not a problem for Taemin, however. But have you noticed how all of his back-up dancers are women? That might be one of the reasons why.
To pull off the song even half as well as Taemin, you need to learn how to look graceful and weightless as you dance. Additionally, confidence is needed to pull off the song, but it's so easy to look awkward while dancing, so that is another barrier to overcome.
