Retro Korean music - Mind-Blowing Live Dance Performances

Hello members!
Last time, I did a review on O.S.Ts of some of the beloved dramas in Korea, if you haven't checked it out please do so by searching both "Retro Korean Music - Drama O.S.Ts (Soundtracks) - part 1" and "Retro Korean Music - Drama O.S.Ts (Soundtracks) - part 2".

This post is about some of the greatest performers that I've seen in Korea, and I thought I had to share them with you, because I feel that their explosive talents need to be shown to the world. These acts can sing and dance quite stably, at the same time, on a live stage. Hopefully some of these mind-blowing performances will entertain you.

Let's begin!

1. 비(Rain)

He is probably one of the most known Korean celebrity, not just due to his singing career but also to his appearance on movies and dramas, like "Ninja Assassin" and "Full House". He is also a very talented dancer who knows how to pull his swag, who also creates most of his choreography by himself. Here are some of his performances that I occasionally watch.

- Raintime (Live at MKMF 2004: Mnet Korean Music Festival [later became MAMA at 2009] 2004)



- 2098 Still Rain (Live at MKMF 2008)



- I"m Coming (Live at "Rain's Coming" World Tour Concert)



- 난(I am...) (Live at "Rain's Coming" World Tour Concert)



- How to Avoid the Sun (Live at MBC Music Core)



- MBC Top 10 Singer Award Performance (Live at MBC Gayo Daejun 2003)



* Bonus Music Video: I Do



2. Se7en

A male solo who used to form a rivalry against 비(Rain), who has recently enlisted to serve in the military in Korea. While Rain is considered to be better at powerful Hip-Hop types of dances, Se7en is thought to be better at a smoother R&B type of movement. Here are links to some of his amazing performances.

- Passion, La La La, and I Know(Live at MBC Gayo Daejun 2006)



- Crazy (Live at KBS Music Bank)



3. 보아(Boa)

One of the greatest female performers in Korea who really knows how to show her energetic dance moves without being sexually suggestive. She also made herself famous in Japan with her numerous singles that has topped the Oricon Chart.
However, this post won't introduce her singles, but her mesmerizing performances.

- Over the Top (Live at MKMF 2005)



- Eat You Up, Look Who's Talking (Live at SBS Gayo Daejun 2008)



4. 태양(Taeyang)

One of few talented Korean artist who really knows what "soul" means. His dance moves are distinguishable from the other known male performers, due to the "groove" that he exhibits that can rarely be found in the other performers. Although,occasionally shadowed by the fame of his associate group, "빅뱅(BIGBANG)", he is undeniably a great artist who is also capable of dominating a stage by himself.
Let's take a look at some of his amazing moves.

- Where U At (Live at SBS Inkigayo)



- 기도 (Prayer) (Live at MBC Gayo Daejun 2008)



- 나만 바라봐 (Only Look At Me) (Live at MBC Music Bank)



- Falling Out (Keyshia Cole) & Freeze (T-pain) Mix Dance Cover at Star Dance Battle [2009]



5. 이민우 & 장우혁(Lee Min Woo & Jang Woo Hyuk)

The best dancers of two of the most famous groups during late 90s to early 2000s, Shinhwa and H.O.T, collided at a stage to battle with their spell-binding dancing skills. H.O.T disbanded during early 2000, while Shinhwa is still active up until now.

- Jang Woo Hyuk vs Lee Min Woo (at Star Dance Battle)



6. 이승훈 (Lee Seung Hoon from WINNER)

An artist who really knows how to express his emotions through the movements of his body. He came in as top 4 competitors at a popular audition program, Kpop Star, due to his amazing dancing/performance directing skills. The judges of this audition 양현석(Yang Hyun Suk, the founder of YG Entertainment) and 박진영(Park Jin Young, the founder of JYP Entertainment) both recognized him as "an artist who knows how to express his emotions through his dance". He has now debuted as a member of a male group called "WINNER". These are some of his great clips from his kpop Star days.

- 아버지 (Father) (Dynamic Duo) Dance Cover (at Kpop Star Season 1)



- 난 여자가 있는데 (I Have a Woman) [Park Jin Young] Dance Cover (at Kpop Star Season 1)



- 어머니의 된장국 (Mom's Duen-Jang Soup) (at Kpop Star Season 1)



- 춤추는 사자(Dancing Lion) [Dance Cover of Madagascar O.S.T, "I Like to Move It"] (at Kpop Star Season 1)



- Show Must Go On Cover of Drake's "Successful" (at Kpop Star Season 1)



*Here is a clip of WINNER dancing, fully choreographed by Lee Seung Hoom himself.

- Don't Stop the Music By Jamie Callum Dance Cover (at WIN Final Episode)



7. 동방신기(東方神起) [TVXQ]

As the name suggests "The Rising Gods of the East", they were immensely popular across Asia when they originally had five members, although they are still very famous.
However, it is until they became a duo since 2011, that I really noticed their talentS. I can quite honestly say that their skills are somewhat overshadowed by their looks. Here are some of their convincing performances.

- Catch Me (Live at KBS Music Bank)



- Intro + Maximum (Live at Mcountdown)



- Intro + Before U Go (Live at KBS Music Bank)



- Something (Live at MBC Music Core)



- Spellbound (Live at MBC Music Core)




**A former TVXQ member, 시아준수(Xia Junsu), is also a great dancer, along with the leader of the group, 유노윤호(U-Know Yunho), who still is the leader of the group that now became a duo. Here is the link to his crazy performance combining magic and dance!

- Laser Dance (at Heroine)



8. iKon (Soon to be a male group from YG Ent)

The survival program, "Mix and Match", is a popular show of a short series in Korea almost heading towards the finale of the show. The 4 winners out of 6 candidates will become members of a new male group called "iKon" which will debut under YG soon. Formerly competed against Team A (Who now became "WINNER") at another survival program, "WIN", the candidates of this survival exhibited some great dancing skills that stole many hearts of the audiences throughout the show. Notice their facial expressions, explosive energy, and emotions that they reveal with their moves.

- Get Me Like (Choreographed by Paris Goble) Dance Cover (at Mix and Match Ep 1)



- 멘붕 (Mental Breakdown, by CL from 2NE1) Dance Cover (at Mix and Match Ep 2)



- Rocket (By Cover of Travis Garland, Originally By Beyonce) & Hot In Herre (By Nelly) Mix Dance Cover (at Mix and Match Ep 4)



*Here are clips when they had original 6 members as Team B at another survival show "WIN"

- 세상을 흔들어(Shake The World) by 지드래곤(G-Dragon) & Turn Up the Music by Chris Brown Mix Dance Cover (at WIN final episode)



- The Motto By Drake Dance Cover (at WIN)



That was my ultimate collection of some of the great dance performances from Korean male artists. I hope that you really enjoyed these entertaining dances, and hopefully this introduction to Korean music is interesting to you that you would give more chance to hear some of these artists.

Thank you for reading.
See you soon!