Top 10 Greatest K-Pop Dance Breaks

BLACKPINK

Exemplifying Blackpink’s Girl Crush style, “How You Like That” has an attitude of unquestioned self-confidence. But the four members will still kick things up a notch in case you had any doubt about their status as Queens of the concept. The driving rhythm behind this dance break lets the quartet show off epitome of their appeal. Coolly powerful, it succeeds by appearing both aspirational and almost attainable. Like just a drop of Blackpink’s self-assurance could have us dancing along and looking just as good. Alas, there’s a reason why they’re Blackpink and we’re not, but we like it all the same.

Stray Kids

Stray Kids kind of buried the lead here. Because this dance break is anything but “Easy.” Playing off the electronic noises in their backing track, the members articulate their bodies with the smooth precision of eight dancing machines. A machine they briefly embody right at the very end. Alternating loose limbs and sharper pops, Stray Kids show an enviable level of physical control that would be difficult to emulate. So are they being humble with the song title, or just ironic? Hard to say, but the easiest thing about this dance break, is giving in to the desire to hit the replay button.

IZ*ONE

Fans still aren’t over the premature disbandment of this survival show group, and looking at “Secret Story of the Swan,” no one could argue with them. IZ*ONE was just hitting their stride, and obviously had so much more to offer. Did anyone do the elegant concept like these ladies? But for casual viewers under the mistaken impression that this was just a flock of graceful girls, the dance break shows off their duality. Moving in tandem with the more percussive rhythm, the choreography displays the commanding side to IZ*ONE. It’s their signature style, but with a little more punch. The thorns on the rose. We’ll never stop wondering what they could have shown us if their wings hadn’t been clipped so soon.

Dreamcatcher

Who says K-pop has no edge? Though often underrated, Dreamcatcher has been slaying for years, layering their melodic voices over tracks with a strong rock and metal influence. Their invigoratingly unique approach is only boosted by their considerable dance talents. The break in “Scream” is one of Dreamcatcher’s best. The rapid fire pace definitely has a lot of attack, but it’s the way the choreography seamlessly intersperses more sensual moments that makes it something special. The two contrasting movement styles fluidly melded by the members take this dance break from impressive to enthralling. It makes us want to cheer, rage, and, yeah. Scream. Mission accomplished, Dreamcatcher.

ENHYPEN

Taking the opposite approach to Stray Kids, Enhypen set a high bar for themselves with this song title. Not that these guys have ever struggled to deliver eye-catching choreography. Their smooth moves pair well with the song’s ‘90s dance music style. But the dance break really levels things up. It’s not just Enhypen’s speed and cleanliness that shine here. It’s the details, like the way their sharp movements perfectly punctuate the music that really make this choreography soar. Not unlike those weightless jumps. And through it all they look so effortlessly cool. Obviously this group is totally at home when they decide to go big.

TWICE

The upbeat, easygoing vibe of this song just feels like Summer, doesn't it? So if the song is your refreshing day on vacation, the dance break has gotta be the heatwave. There’s just something so visually satisfying about the choreography here. It could be the way the members alternate between assertive gestures and slinky undulations. Or it could be the way they sleekly transition through their formation changes, creating a brief but visually striking tableau. Whatever it is, we have a hard time tearing our eyes away from this sequence. Our only complaint is that it doesn’t go on longer.

NCT 127

You can hear the anticipation for this dance break building throughout the whole bridge. Even the start of the choreography teases us, feeling like a wind up. When NCT 127 lets loose, though, it’s as cathartic as it is intimidating. After name dropping Bruce Lee throughout the song, the dance break delivers a mini-fight scene, which is the kind of conceptual cohesion we love to see. In fact, cohesion is the name of the game with NCT 127, and it’s on display all over this dance break. Their next release, “Punch,” would up the ante, delivering a one two knockout of unified swagger that simply cannot be denied.

ITZY

This group doesn’t disappoint in the movement department, with several notable dance breaks to their name. “Loco,” drove fans crazy for all the right reasons. Still, many will point to just one song that can top it. “Wannabe” is often considered a peak era for ITZY, and it boasts a dance break worthy of its 4th gen landmark status. If the hip and arm isolations don’t have you mesmerized, then the way they make use of levels definitely will. The flow of the choreography keeps your eye fastened on the members as they make full use of the negative space. Of course it helps when you’ve got the visual charisma of ITZY. If we could hold a stage like them, we wouldn’t wanna be anyone else either.

SEVENTEEN

With every comeback and live stage, the members of Seventeen have blown us away with their dance skills. By the final stretch of “Hit,” they have already been dancing like superhumans almost nonstop for over three minutes. And their awe-inspiring dance break actually happens twice during performances. Intricate, perfectly synchronized, and paced like a runaway freight train, this is what it looks like when thirteen people collectively floor the accelerator. The group’s raw talent is almost overwhelming, to say nothing of their stamina. Their message is clear: Get out of the way, because once Seventeen gets going they might truly be unstoppable.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

We Really Would Be Done After This Choreography, but Everglow Was Just Warming Up

Creepy Is a Compliment Here; If This Is Poison, We Don’t Want the Antidote

We Won’t Listen to a Thing Except Everyone Agreeing How Hard This Dance Break Hits

Refined and Elegant, Apink Give a Masterclass in Class Itself

A Little Breakdance in a Dance Break? We Want to See More of This!

BTS

Since the day they debuted, BTS has given us one jaw-dropping moment after another. If they had never topped the scorched Earth dance break of “Fire,” they could still be considered some of the best performers in the game. But settling has never been their style. Their anthemic single “ON” builds to a relentless, defiant dance break that is truly second to none. Beginning with two subgroups really lets us appreciate the members’ individual talents. And when they unite again the result is explosive. The way their isolations and syncopations seem to generate the drum beats gives the choreography a visceral quality that is only enhanced by BTS’ ferocious energy. It’s not exaggerating to say that this piece is truly ON another level.