How to learn K-pop dances: choosing songs, mirrored videos, counts and classes in Seoul

TUREFF• •0

Learning a K-pop choreography is a great way to get fit, meet people and understand why groups spend months rehearsing. You do not need any dance background; you need a sensible song choice, the right videos and patience. Here is how to start.

Choose a song at the right level

Easy: songs with a repeated, simple chorus move, steady tempo and little floor work. Many viral challenge songs are designed to be easy to copy.
Medium: full choreographies with formations and some fast arm work but few jumps.
Hard: fast, sharp, hard-hitting boy-group choreography, or anything with lots of floor work, tricks or isolations.

Start with just the chorus of a song you love. Finishing one chorus is much more motivating than half a full song.

Use the right videos

Dance practice videos: most groups release a fixed-camera video of the choreography in a practice room. Clearer than music videos, which cut constantly.
Mirrored versions: practice videos are filmed facing you, so the dancers' right is your left. A mirrored video lets you move in the same direction as the screen.
Tutorials: dance teachers and fans post step-by-step breakdowns, often slowed down with counts.
Slow playback: the speed setting in your video player (0.5x or 0.75x) is your best friend.

Break it into counts

Dance is counted in eights: 1 to 8, then again. Most choreographers build moves around those counts.

Watch the section several times without moving.
Learn one eight-count at a time, slowly.
Add the next eight and run the two together.
Speed up only when it is smooth at slow speed.
Learn the feet first, then the arms, then the face and style.

Marking, doing the moves small and half-speed, is a good way to memorise without tiring yourself out.

Film yourself

Mirrors lie a little; video does not.

Film from the front at the same angle as the practice video.
Compare side by side; look at timing, levels (how low you go) and where your arms end.
Fix one thing per run, not everything at once.

Old videos are also proof of progress, which helps on days when it feels hard.

Avoid injury

Warm up for five to ten minutes: joints, light cardio, stretching after.
Wear trainers with grip, not socks on a smooth floor.
Hard-hitting moves and jumps strain knees and lower backs; bend your knees when landing.
Floor work on hard floors bruises; use knee pads, or skip that section until you are on a proper studio floor.
Stop if something hurts sharply. Repetitive practice of one move is the most common cause of strain.
Drink water, and rest between run-throughs.

Dance classes in Seoul

Seoul has many dance academies offering K-pop classes, including drop-in classes for visitors and some with English-speaking instructors. Typical formats:

One-off classes for travellers, often teaching one chorus in an hour or two, sometimes with a filmed video at the end.
Regular classes for residents, weekly or several times a week, by level.
Audition classes for people seriously aiming at the industry, with a much higher level.

Look on the academy's own social media for class schedules, ask what level a class is aimed at, and book ahead for weekends. Hongdae and Gangnam are where many studios cluster.

Dance with others

Cover dance groups at universities, community centres and online communities are welcoming to beginners.
Random play dance events, where songs play in random order and anyone who knows the choreography jumps in, are popular in Seoul and in cities worldwide.
Many cover groups rent practice rooms by the hour.

Our K-pop beginners' guide and concert guide have more on the fandom side. Which choreography are you learning, or which one defeated you? Share it in the comments.