1MILLION Dance Studio brings viral K-dance moves to MFA and beyond
Korean pop culture has become a powerful force on the global stage. K-pop stars like BTS and Blackpink have sold out arenas around the world, while Korean films and TV shows like “Parasite” and “Squid Game” have become Hollywood award-season darlings. And now, 1MILLION Dance Studio, Korea’s leading dance agency, wants to take K-dance to the same heights.
The group, which boasts more than 26 million subscribers on YouTube, brought members Debby, Lia Kim, Harimu, Amy, and Dohee to Boston this week for the launch of “Hallyu! The Korean
Wave,” a new exhibit on Korean art, history, and pop culture that opens to the public at the Museum of Fine Arts on Sunday. 1MILLION Dance Studio was tapped to perform at Friday night’s MFA Late Nites celebration, where attendees received an early look at the exhibit. Presented by CJ ENM, the festivities were also to include performances by fellow Seoul-based acts Ailee and HYPNOSIS THERAPY.
Starting out in a basement in 2014, 1MILLION Dance Studio has evolved into Korea’s top agency for dancers and choreographers. The group earned global acclaim after participating in the South Korean dance competition “Street Woman Fighter2” in 2023, and have amassed a huge social media following thanks to their dance videos and constantly updated content stream.
1MILLION cofounder Lia Kim believes that the rapid embrace of Korean culture in recent years is due to a few factors, most notably social media’s role in connecting Korean artists with global audiences. She also noted how Korean society tends to be receptive of new cultures and styles, while maintaining deep traditional roots, enabling them to put their own spin on what’s trending.
“Koreans are very sensitive to trends,” she told the Globe through an interpreter following the group’s tour of the MFA exhibit on Thursday. “They accept new trends really fast and then digest it and interpret it in a new way.”
The group’s growing fan base has attracted visitors from across the world to their studio in Seoul, with budding dancers hoping to learn from the social media stars.
“There are a lot of people from different nationalities [that] come to see 1MILLION,” group member Dohee said. “1MILLION Studio is itself an attraction now.”
When it comes to the exhibit, 1MILLION’s Harimu was particularly drawn to its interactive dance challenge display, where visitors can boogie down and have their moves displayed on a big screen, comparing it to their dance classes.
1MILLION’s Amy appreciated how the exhibit explores the history of Korea and its impact on pop culture, including Gangnam style (yes, the song, but also the cultural region in Seoul), which felt both “refreshing” and “very familiar” to see.
Looking toward the future, Lia Kim said 1MILLION Dance Studio plans to expand with studios, camps, and workshops outside of Korea. She notes that, just like the K-pop stars who became global phenomenons, she wants to see K-dancers find the same success and “have more influence overseas, as well.”