From Aespa’s KCON show to YouTube, Hong Kong K-pop cover dancers are chasing their dreams

Amateur dancers make YouTube videos mimicking the moves of Korean idol singers, and some dream of earning a shot at being idols themselves

Reading Time:5 minutes

K-pop dance cover group Pixel HK during a shoot in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. The group copies the choreography, costumes and mannerisms of their favourite Korean artists for their YouTube videos, as part of an international trend. Photo: Annie Cheung

Published: 7:15pm, 26 Sep 2024Updated: 12:20pm, 27 Sep 2024

Cherri Au and more than 50 other young dancers joined top K-pop act Aespa to perform their hit single “Next Level” at the inaugural edition of KCON Hong Kong, a two-day Korean pop music convention held at the city’s AsiaWorld-Expo events space in March 2024.

The 22-year-old university student had successfully auditioned for the spot beforehand, and took to the stage with her favourite girl group at Dream Stage, a K-pop fan-gathering event held as part of the convention.

For Au, the performance was a dream come true.

“The finale shot was unexpected,” she says, recalling how a three-second solo clip of her made it into the final cut of the official Dream Stage video. “I think not everyone has this chance, so I am grateful and lucky.”

Hong Kong K-pop fans perform Aespa’s hit single “Next Level” alongside the group at KCON Hong Kong. Photo: KCON Hong Kong

Au belongs to a subculture that celebrates K-pop through “dance covers” – copying the choreography of artists’ music videos.

Most are amateur dancers with a hardcore dedication to their craft. Some, like Au, aspire to become idols themselves. With South Korea’s introduction in June of the K-culture training visa, this may not be as far-fetched as before.