HallyUA and K-POC competed in the “Heart and Seoul” K-Pop showcase in Tennessee over the weekend, taking home first- and third-place prizes, respectively.
HallyUA is a University-affiliated K-Pop group that aims to promote an environment of diversity and growth.
“I auditioned, I made it in my first year, and since then, I’ve been part of the team and become increasingly more involved, because it really is very inspiring and a fun thing to do,” said MaryElla Woolf, a senior double majoring in economics and political science. “I’ve become really passionate about dance through my participation in HallyUA.”
The group took five dancers to the competition but has over 20 students who regularly train and post dance covers to K-Pop songs on YouTube. Along with its dance and competition team, HallyUA also holds social events for those interested in Korean music and culture.
“Heart and Seoul” was centered on the theme of love, with dances inspired by Valentine’s Day. Sandra Onyishi, a junior member majoring in mechanical engineering, said that according to the organizers of the event, it was the first ever K-Pop dance competition in Tennessee.
Onyishi also said there were nine groups that performed in the solo, duo and trio category and eight groups that performed in the big group category.
“Being a part of this community gives me a space as a non-creative major on campus to freely explore dance as my hobby and also as a means of exercise,” Onyishi said. “The club has been a way for me to challenge my physical limits and also gain new cultural perspectives not just from Korea but also from other members of the club from around the world.”
KPOC is another K-Pop group in Alabama, and while a lot of members attend the University, the group is active all throughout the state.
“Being Black and liking K-Pop, it’s difficult to find friends, but now that I have the organization and people just like me — it makes me feel very happy,” said Brianna Washington, a junior majoring in psychology.
K-POC also posts dance covers to YouTube regularly and is a space for people to learn more about Korean culture and K-Pop.
“One of our main goals is diversity, so we need to be around a group of different people who come from different backgrounds and who all value that kind of thing, who value dance, who value K-Pop and who value diversity,” Woolf said. “I think it’s an experience of a lot of people I’ve talked to that HallyUA has rekindled or started a passion in dance and the arts.”
