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‘8TURN is the best’: EXCLUSIVE- Choreographer-dancer Hulk on Street Man Fighter win, Jay Park’s ‘easy’ skills, and more
In an exclusive chat with the choreographer Hulk who gained fame following his team Just Jerk’s win, the dancer spoke about working behind the scenes.
Street Man Fighter, a 2022 male-version revival of the famed street dance program, Street Woman Fighter, saw the win of Just Jerk which Hulk was a part of. Originally called Cho Jong Hyun, the street (or stage) name that the dancer came up with, almost perfectly defined the personality that oozed as soon as he entered a coffee shop right across from the EMOS dance camp, which saw him teaching his adept moves to Indian enthusiasts.
An arm adorned with tattoos, Hulk asserted they’re made up of whatever he likes, including a motif of his name in Hanja lettering. At just 26 years of age, he’s well established but the dancer disagreed emphasizing that aiming for higher success- one that does not limit itself to numbers- was what he looked for.
Hulk on stepping into the K-pop world
Having worked with the likes of aespa, MAMAMOO, and Chung Ha, Hulk got right into his experience working with K-pop stars and how it has impacted his career. “Initially, it was nervewracking and exciting but eventually, there were a lot of aspects to pay attention to, including the artists, dancers, their agency, and more, so I thought of it as my work and carried on with a business mindset.” Interestingly, his video alongside aespa’s Winter where he can be seen carrying her during a Drama performance, has been his most popular social media update, garnering over 3 million views so far.
Along with his participation in choreographing Stray Kids’ upcoming music, the dancer further revealed his contribution to THE BOYZ’s comeback, Hulk was as busy as it gets. When asked about his top pick from the industry in terms of dancing, he pondered for a while and we settled for one female and one male K-pop star that impressed him.
Praising Chung Ha’s foundation for her dancing skills, he cited her as the best among female K-pop stars for knowing exactly what she wants and on the other hand, it was Jay Park among the male singers who caught his eyes with the ease of his presence, someone who’s cool even if he’s doing nothing but also because he knows how to breakdance.
Hulk on Street Man Fighter and Just Jerk
As someone who appears to be very well suited for strong-looking styles like krumping, Hulk says he has never learned the dance form but only followed what he observed, especially while filming the competition series Street Man Fighter. He revealed to had asked fellow contestants like Knucks from Prime Kingz for help.
Recalling his experience being a part of the team, Just Jerk, which won the show’s first season, Hulk said, “It’s very thrilling to think about it. I still cannot really believe that it happened (the win). But now that it’s been 2 years, I have moved on to a new team and with I AM, I’m trying to start back again with a newbie’s mindset, to build myself up once again.”
On being asked why he decided to change teams and move to I AM, Hulk remained tight-lipped and only shared that certain situations made him take the difficult decision. However, Hulk emphasized how the experience has taught him not to be too focused on social media, and the engagement that comes along with it as well as made him mature in a way.
Hulk on future plans involving Stray Kids and 8TURN
Currently working as a performance director at C9 Entertainment, the entertainment agency that houses talents like CIX, EPEX, cignature, Younha, and Lee Seok Hoon, Hulk shared that he is also responsible for 8TURN’s performances on the highly anticipated program Road To Kingdom: ACE OF ACE. Singing high praises of the octet, the 27-year-old dancer asked to look forward to their performances on the show.
When asked if the admiration stemmed from his participation in creating the dance moves, Hulk remarked almost defensively, “8TURN are the best performers. Everyone thinks that. Everyone admits they’re amazing.” Anyone watching him say that would agree.
Currently working on the next Stray Kids album’s choreography, Hulk is set to enlist in the military in the next year and thinks of this visit to India as one he could gain energy from!
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