K-pop with punches and kicks
If you search the keywords ‘K-pop dance covers’ you can find thousands of them on YouTube. It takes exceptional talent, skill, and creativity to attain the most views. Besides all those covers there are the most unique dance covers by the Korean taekwondo demonstration team also known as K-Tigers.
While taekwondo demonstrations are always exciting and amazing just to watch with all the extreme high kicks, jumps, and wooden block-breaking, the K-Tigers leave a lasting impression. Combining their impressive kicks and flips and Poomsae (a set sequence of movements of taekwondo) with the latest hit songs and their equally popular choreography, the K-Tigers’ taekwondo dance cover is a brilliant idea, hard not to notice.
Considered to be the most widespread martial art in the world with over seventy million practitioners in over two hundred countries, Taekwondo contains a proud and ancient history. Officially introduced as an Olympic sport in 2000, it continues to be relevant in our ever-changing modern world. The word ‘Tae Kwon Do’ roughly translates to ‘Kicking, Punching, and Way of Life’. Taekwondo is loved for its wide range of high, powerful kicks, intense hand strike mixtures, and powerful defense techniques. It’s appropriate for people of any age and gender because this martial art does not teach anyone how to fight, it teaches us why not to.
The K-Tigers are famous for fusing traditional Taekwondo motions with popular K-pop songs and choreography. They have pioneered a new way of presenting Taekwondo demonstrations, having evolved their routines with the growing global popularity of K-pop. Among thousands of comments praising how cool and impressive the video is, a number of viewers said they were inspired by the group to take up the martial art, something that K-Tigers has been aiming for since the group’s inception in 1990.
They show us that taekwondo is not only a martial art and a sport but a product that can develop into a cultural industry. At first, they mainly used pop and rock songs. By the late 2000s, they started using K-pop songs as well. Composed of about 250 high-kicking athletes scouted from all over Korea, K-Tigers separates itself from the typical demonstration team in that they take in young athletes and train them to perform. With the integration of taekwondo and K-pop, and with the presence of taekwondo in pop culture, the group is well on its way to achieving its goal. As more and more people take notice of the martial art and Korean popular culture, people are sure to take interest in K-Tigers, who gives both a cool spin.
Originally, K-Tigers was known as a South Korea Taekwondo team that focused on doing Taekwondo and acrobatic tricking. The team was founded by Grandmaster Han Suk-an in 1990 in Seoul, South Korea. It has participated in various international competitions mainly to introduce the Korean spirit of Taekwondo to the world.
Korean Tigers have contributed greatly to the enlargement of Taekwondo and developed the Taekwondo demonstration into a variety of performing arts by introducing various programs that embrace each accomplishment and superior skill. They are all Korean taekwondo athletes who hold high black belts ranks.
Last year, the K-Tigers team focused not only on their Taekwondo activities, tournaments, and cover dances but also on a debut project as K-pop idols. The debuting project group name is ‘K-Tigers Zero’. They debuted as a co-ed group on 19 September 2019 with 12 members (Hyunmin, Sungjin, Junhee, Yunji, Gunwoo, Youjin, Gangmin, Mindy, Taejoo, Hyeongkyun, Yiseul, and Taemi) and their EP ‘Huiroaerak’ which translates to “Happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy.”
Their mashups of taekwondo with K-Pop has made many fall in love with them. Their debut songs ‘Now’, ‘Odd & Beautiful’ and ‘Side Kick’ was also a hit. ‘Odd & Beautiful’ and ‘Now’ is soft, melancholic, and more like a chilled song. These songs allowed the members to show their talent as singers and dancers. The instrumental doesn’t let them hide behind. On the other side ‘Side Kick’ is a more energetic song. This track is completely different from the other songs.
Right of the bat, it is a lot heavier, utilizing EDM in its instrumental. This pack definitely packs a punch. The song also zones in more of the rapping. ‘Side Kick’ also exhibits an EDM feel and shows off more taekwondo moves as they are originally created from ‘K-Tigers’.
K-Tigers Zero is ready to make their mark as a multi-talented group that is capable of anything including singing, rapping, dancing, producing, and choreographing. All of the members aren’t just only skilled as taekwondo athletes. Recently, this year they were on a music competition show named ‘Immortal Songs 2’. They also showed their unbeatable talent there, which was loved by everyone. And also won the episode over Yook Joong Wan Band. So, what happens if you K-pop and the restrained energy of taekwondo? See it for yourself, if you also want to know them as the world's top taekwondo demonstration team, K-Tigers Zero.
Given how important Taekwondo is to Korean heritage, the approach they took to their art shined a light on the ways tradition and popular culture can be combined to create new art forms. They inspired a movement and called global attention to Taekwondo as an innovative martial art despite its prevalence in Korean culture for centuries. The discipline of Taekwondo leads to increase energy, better health and fitness, greater coordination, and higher self-esteem. These qualities are vital to a happier, longer life. Yet another big benefit that you can get from practicing Taekwondo on a regular basis is that it makes you feel happier. And being happier nowadays is really a big deal. At least for one time in your life you should try taekwondo.
Rumaiysa M Rahman is a 9th grader at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Dhaka.