J Black Eyes ATEEZ After A2O: "Seonghwa and San's Dancing Caught My Eye"

"Before, I didn't really feel like making more idol choreography," J Black said. "But people love 'NEON' so much that I want to do it again. I especially like ATEEZ. I really fell for them after watching 'BAD.'"

The choreographer created the intro choreography for "NEON," the debut song by rookie group A2O LITE. That opening part of the routine has become a major talking point. He was answering a question about which K-POP act he would like to work with next.

J Black sat down with K-POPIT at the Cream Dance academy in the Bundang district of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Dancer Choi In-young, who goes by Sseji, joined the interview. Dancer Lee Dong-gyu (T-100), who also worked on the "NEON" choreography, could not attend.

The song has made an impressive chart debut. A2O LITE debuted on Oct. 13 and hit No. 1 on the Top 100, the main chart of the South Korean music streaming service Melon, just 29 hours later. On Billboard's latest charts, dated Oct. 31, "NEON" placed No. 8 on the Global 200 and No. 3 on the Global Excl. U.S.

Choi said J Black's interest in "BAD" stood out.

"He's not someone who usually memorizes other people's choreography to film a challenge," Choi said. "But with ATEEZ's 'BAD,' he suddenly learned the dance and filmed it."

J Black agreed. "I usually film my own dances. I don't pick up other K-POP choreography," he said. "But the choreography for 'BAD' is so good, and ATEEZ pulled it off so well, that I danced along myself."

He named members Seonghwa and San as the ones who left the biggest impression.

"Seonghwa goes into the chorus wearing a suit, and he doesn't overdo his facial expressions," J Black said. "He makes an impact with the dance alone. It's not easy for an idol to create a moment like that with an almost blank face, just by dancing. That scene is basically the reason I filmed the challenge."

"With the moves that use the chest, San knows exactly how his eyes and the angle of his head should look to be appealing," he said. "I actually screamed when I saw it."

Choi nodded and imitated J Black's scream from that moment, drawing laughs.

"Watching them bring out the appeal of the dance like that, I thought, 'How happy the choreographers must be,'" Choi said.

J Black was impressed by the music, too. "It was amazing how they worked African rhythm so naturally into K-POP," he said. "My body kept moving the whole time I watched the music video. It made me wonder who made the choreography."

Choi also has a dream act: BIGBANG.

"I started dancing because of BIGBANG," Choi said. "It would be a real honor to choreograph for them. I'd also like to work with TWS, who did the challenge so well, on some difficult choreography."

Lee picked BTS and TVXQ.

"BTS is so good, and I've still seen them work hard so many times. I want to make choreography with them," Lee said. "I want to feel their energy when we work together."

"TVXQ is my idol," he added. "It's no exaggeration to say I started dancing because of them. I want to be a fan who made it."