A K-pop frenzy in Jakarta
Big fans: Boys Generation, an homage to the Korean girl band Girls’ Generation, competes in the K-Pop Dance Competition in Jakarta.The lights dimmed and silence enveloped the theater. Swathed in darkness, the audience shared hushed whispers as nine teenage boys appeared and took their positions on an illuminated stage, all clad in pristine white costumes and ankle-high boots, oversized lollipop props clutched firmly in their hands.
Then, the familiar tunes of the K-Pop girl group Girls’ Generation’s “Kissing You” blared from the stage’s speakers. The crowd erupted with explosive shrieks of delight, rising to their feet and belting out the opening cheers of the song in Korean.
Amid the deafening music and cheers, the male dancers on stage displayed impeccably coordinated dance moves, chillingly similar to the sweet, charming choreography of Girls’ Generation. Unabashed by their rather androgynous costumes and dancing, Boys Generation showcased their talents and weeks of hard work, eager to win the competition.
This inaugural K-Pop Dance Competition was held recently in Central Jakarta. The event was organized by the Korea Fans Club, a collaborative project among the many K-Pop fan clubs in Indonesia.
The theater was packed with 1,300 avid K-Pop fans and giant banners of K-Pop stars hung from the balcony like flags. People were dressed in colorful, jaunty fan club uniforms, giggling and chatting incessantly as they waited for the concert to begin, occasionally breaking out into K-Pop songs they knew by heart.
Most were teenage girls and college students infatuated with the unique musical style of K-Pop. “I love the energy of K-Pop and how Korean bands sing and dance at the same time,” said Aya, a student at the University of Indonesia and an administrator of Playgirls, an Indonesia-based fan club of the girl group After School.
But there were some older audience members as well, like Tri, a 36-year-old teacher from Bogor and a devoted fan of the boy band Super Junior. After first learning about K-Pop through the Korean drama Jewel in the Palace in 2004, she fell in love with the “addictive, interesting and colorful songs” of K-Pop.
Outside the theater, rows of booths were installed along the walls, each selling an eclectic collection of K-Pop merchandise imported from Singapore and Malaysia such as posters, stickers, calendars and anything else that the faces of K-Pop stars could be plastered to.
The 20 finalist teams competing in the dance competition had been nominated from a pool of 102 contenders who had submitted YouTube videos of their dancing.
Karin, a 20-year-old student from Bandung and a member of the finalist team Shiny Girls, said she began performing K-Pop cover dances three years ago with a group of friends. “We learn the choreography by studying live performances of K-Pop groups on YouTube,” she explained. “We get together and practice in a small dance studio every week.”
Each finalist team imitated a particular K-Pop artist and danced to an arrangement of three songs. A huge variety of songs and groups were represented, from the edgy electropop of Super Junior to the upbeat rock music of the girl group 2NE1.
The teams tried to distinguish themselves from others by adding fresh elements to their dance performances, whether it involved acting out dramatic skits with misty fog covering the stage or jumping offstage to hand flowers to the judges and members of the audience.
Whenever a song culminated in the chorus, the audience let out earsplitting screams and sang along to the Korean lyrics at the top of their lungs, their sonorous voices resounding through the theater and energizing the dancers on stage.
The cover dance performances were scored by a panel of nine judges from Korea, including one from the major national South Korean television network Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). “The judges evaluated the contestants based on their dance skills, choreography, costumes, teamwork and creativity,” said Young Hwan-song, the founder of Korea Fans Club and one of the judges.
The team 4NE1, which covered 2NE1, seized first place with their funky costumes, mesmerizing chair dance and powerful dance moves that bore a striking resemblance to the original. As the winners, 4NE1 will head to Korea where they will compete as a representative of Indonesia.
When the cover dance performances were over, four members from each team engaged in heated dance battles on stage. The audience watched with rapt attention as dancers showcased their powerful, flashy dance moves, from cartwheels to breathtaking freezes.
The spread of South Korean culture, commonly known as the Korean wave, began sometime in 1999 when the Korean drama Winter Sonata was met with rave reviews from viewers in Japan, particularly among older Japanese women.
The Korean wave showed no signs of ebbing as it rippled out vigorously to the shores of China, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and even as far as Europe, where popular Korean music gained mass appeal with its charm and unique musical styles.
Indonesia has not been an exception. With the help of online social media, most notably YouTube, the Korean wave has made a splash in Indonesian teenage culture since 2009.
Spirited: The K-Pop Dance Competition in Jakarta was filled with hundreds of teenage K-Pop fans.Young is optimistic about the prospects of the Korean wave in Indonesia. He believes that K-Pop will continue to garner interest among young Indonesians and raise awareness about Korean culture. “The wave has definitely fuelled cultural exchange between Indonesia and Korea,” he added.
Such cultural impacts are made palpable by Indonesian K-Pop fans who express an interest in learning more about Korean culture. “I’d love to learn the Korean language,” remarked Ren, a 19-year-old on the Perseids team, which placed second in the competition.
Korea Fans Club plans to host another event in the fall, this time a singing competition in which K-Pop fans will have the chance to unleash their singing talent in front of cheering crowds.
After the storm of the dance competition, the Korean wave seems to have receded a bit in Jakarta. But the calm is only a façade. The wave will continue to rise, gathering momentum through online fan sites, in dance studios and in the weekly fan club meetings all around Indonesia.
And at the next major K-Pop event, the wave will come roaring out and crashing down all at once — this time, with even greater force.
Roy Qiu
Sandara Park
Big Bang 2