Dancer Leejung revealed the reason for her participation in 'K-pop Demon Hunters' and her thoughts on it.
Leejung had an ending interview for Mnet 'World of Street Woman Fighter' (hereinafter WSWF) at a cafe in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 24th.
'WSWF' is the third season of Mnet's mega hit 'Street Woman Fighter'. It was a 'nationwide competition' involving six crews from five countries, including Korea, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, and Australia, and concluded on the 22nd with great interest as a nine-episode series.
Having ranked first in the TV-OTT non-drama sector for seven consecutive weeks, 'WSWF' gained immense attention, showcasing a masterpiece like never before through its mega crew missions that captured the identity of various countries, and it soared in global dance syndrome rankings.
Leejung proved her excellence as both a dancer and a choreographer. She took charge of choreography during the 'Global Artist Performance Mission', showcasing her creative ideas and directing skills, and raised the status of K-dance with her confidence and commanding stage presence, even in front of world-renowned dancers. Leejung's performance was regarded as a high-quality work rather than just a dance, leaving a deep impression on viewers worldwide.
Leejung expressed her gratitude for being recognized as both a choreographer and performer through 'WSWF', stating, "When I say I dance, some might think of going to the birthplace to learn. However, I started dancing in Korea and have maintained it, and I believe that's why I am who I am today. If I had spent more time in another culture, I might not have been able to relate to or properly convey the message of the mega crew mission. Since it's a mission where ethnicity needs to be expressed, when the response was good, it was moving to feel that I was 'recognized' rather than just saying 'I did it'. Especially since I am a K-pop kid, it's also a pride to have grown while experiencing this historical development of K-pop. And it makes me proud to be active as a choreographer in K-culture," she said.
Following 'WSWF', Leejung gained global popularity by participating in the choreography of the Netflix animated film 'K-pop Demon Hunters'.
Leejung commented on her participation in 'K-pop Demon Hunters': "I've been involved in this project for three years. Since the beginning of the project, we had meetings together, and when the production held the first Zoom meeting and said, 'We are planning this, and we need Leejung,' my heart raced. I was already grateful to be dancing in a broader area due to 'Street Woman Fighter', but the fact that I could do another creation for an animation excited me."
Leejung added, "When I was shown the planning proposal for 'How It's Done', and they said, 'There are no physical limits for us,' and 'Do everything Leejung wants to do,' I was so thrilled. When they told me to 'expand my dreams', I felt so good. The video is short, but the production period was long. Since the works were created over a long time through several revisions and motion capture, they are very precious."
In particular, Leejung stated, "If you look at my social media, there are videos. Although they were newly filmed, the choreography was the final form. It's not just a dance; when filming a video, it doesn't end in just one take. I kept the camera rolling to reference how I play with my friends and how I rest afterward. Through that, I was able to capture various motions, and that process was an incredible expansion for me. I was happy to be part of a process where even the everyday movements of a character could be influenced. I was surprised when I saw a scene in a sauna at the end. I was amazed to hear that everything came from Leejung's motion, meaning my unconscious had an impact."
'Soda Pop', which is loved even more than 'How It's Done', was made through several revisions. Although the dance itself isn't extensive, since I had started observing the characters of Soft Boyz and how they look early in the planning phase, the amount of dance while producing didn't matter much. I thought of them as real artists and wondered what choreography to give them. Although it's animation, seeing all the stages of planning with people who breathe real identity into it made me feel like I was working with artists. And I am very grateful for all the 'Soda Pop' challenges being done. I really did create that (laughs)."
Leejung specifically commented on Soft Boyz and Huntix, saying, "Both Soft Boyz and Huntix are really talented. While I feel exhausted, they don't seem to tire at all. When I heard about the planning for 'How It's Done', I wanted to do the same when they mentioned arriving at the dome flying from the airplane. There's a line, 'To digest this choreography, you need to eat 10,000 calories,' which made me laugh a lot. Unlike them, if I ate 10,000 calories, I would gain weight and get tired, while they don't."
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