My favorite genre of k-pop videos is the dance practice.

“Why is this?” I can hear you asking. “Why would you watch the practice video when you could watch the polished video?”

Well, my friend, I am glad you asked. There are so many reasons.

  1. Since it’s a practice, everyone’s wearing casual clothes and I don’t get distracted looking at the styling. Since k-pop costumes have a lot going on, it can take a lot of focus to sort out the individual and group dynamics going on in any given stage.
  2. The camera may zoom in and out, but in general it keeps to the same angle, with no cuts. This lets me see the choreography as it was intended by God, nature, and Kasper. I can see the full formation changes that you cannot in the frenetic jumpcuts that plague the live music shows.
  3. Since it’s a dance-focused video, there’s a better chance of watching the group dance full-out. K-pop groups don’t always dance full-out in performances because they have to sing, too, so if you want to truly appreciate their dance abilities, watch the dance practice.

I particularly like EXO-CBX’s “Blooming Day” dance practice, mostly because the choreo is so good. The formations trade off between three sets of three and many variations of the dancers flanking Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin. The chreo is a mix of legit dancing and jokey dance moves that suit the song and the group.

Unlike some of EXO’s choreography that runs counterpoint to the main melody of the song (see the “Monster” dance practice below), this choreo reinforces all the main sections and rhythms of the song – but it works with the theme.

Another dance practice I particularly enjoy is EXO’s “Monster.” If I’m being honest, I prefer the dance practice to the actual m/v, although I do like the dance performance video as well.

This one is a little more produced, with the heavy backlighting and the camerawork, but it’s still pretty simple. What makes it special is that it lets the choreography shine.

To finish this post off, we’ll turn to something cute: Twice. The “TT” dance practice is how I learned all of their names, so it has a special place in my heart. And if we’re going to go for girlgroup choreography, Twice is one of the better groups. They’re the least self-conscious.

And the “TT” choreography is just as catchy as the song.