Beyoncé and Madonna Dancers Want In: Jonah Aki on K-POP's Choreography Boom

As K-POP's global influence continues to grow, dancers who once built their careers alongside the world's biggest pop stars are increasingly moving to Seoul in hopes of becoming choreographers.

That shift was described by Jonah Aki, an American choreographer with Korean dance company 1MILLION.

Choreographers Lia Kim and Jonah Aki sat down with K-POPIT at the 1MILLION Dance Studio in Seoul's Seongsu neighborhood on July 14. They discussed K-POP choreography, Korea's dance scene and the upcoming Seoul home match of the International Dance League, or IDL, on Aug. 1.

Jonah reflected on his early years as a dancer in Korea.

"When I worked in the United States, the competition between dancers was intense. It felt like everyone wanted to become a celebrity," he said. "Korea was completely different. It was less about competing and more about enjoying dance together. I was drawn to that sense of community and decided I wanted to stay."

He said Korea's position in the global dance industry has changed dramatically since then.

"That was when K-POP was only beginning to grow," he said. "Now it has become huge, and people from around the world want to come to Seoul and experience it. I think Korea has become a new center of the dance industry."

According to Jonah, Los Angeles was once the main destination for aspiring dancers, but Seoul has increasingly taken its place.

"When I lived in LA, dancers from everywhere came there to work," he said. "Now many of them are heading to Korea. Dancers used to put appearances in pop stars' music videos or tours at the top of their résumés. These days, working as a K-POP choreographer has become one of the most sought-after credentials."

He added that dancers who have performed with major artists such as Beyoncé or Madonna are also showing interest in building choreography careers in Korea.

Lia Kim said the change is also evident at 1MILLION.

"At some point, we suddenly began seeing a large number of international students," she said. "More than 70 percent of our students now come from overseas. When I ask why they came, many say they want to work as K-POP dancers in Korea."

Jonah attributed the appeal of Korea's dance industry partly to the amount of work available.

"There are many opportunities here for both dancers and choreographers," he said. "K-POP idols perform choreography for almost every song. Overseas artists may remain seated for some songs or only dance during certain parts of a show. That performance culture is one of K-POP's unique characteristics."

He also credited Mnet's dance competition series "Street Woman Fighter" with increasing public recognition of choreographers.

Asked what international dancers need most to work in Korea, Jonah answered, "Korean."

"You need to learn at least some of the language," he said. "Many people say they want to work here but make no effort to study Korean. Building relationships is extremely important in Korea's dance community."

He also stressed that dancers should not treat Korea as a temporary career stop.

"The work requires real commitment," he said. "Even if you think you are one of the best dancers in the world, everyone here is working at full intensity. You cannot become complacent. You need to be prepared to live here and become part of the community."

Lia Kim said international dancers are often surprised by the pace and workload at Korean dance companies.

"The schedules are extremely tight," she said. "To submit a choreography proposal, you may have to learn every demo routine for a song in a single day. It requires skill, speed and discipline. Dancers can sometimes be even busier than K-POP artists."

Jonah agreed.

"I have a music video shoot tomorrow while also preparing for the IDL match," he said. "No matter how difficult the schedule becomes, Korean dancers are expected to give their best every time."

The Seoul Series, the fourth event of the IDL season, will take place Aug. 1 at Kyung Hee University's Grand Peace Palace. Six international crews will compete: 1MILLION, Brotherhood, GRV, Jam Republic, Royal Family and Quick Style.