Choreography DNA Built Since Seotaiji and Boys… YANG HYUN SUK, the Origin of YG’s 7 Billion-View Performance Video Legacy
[OSEN=김채연 기자] Music, choreography, and performance are inseparable core elements of the K-POP market. Fans now consume “stage art” in which choreography and styling blend seamlessly, rather than simply listening to recorded music.
One person accurately identified these increasingly fragmented public tastes and opened a new paradigm for K-POP performance: YG ENTERTAINMENT Executive Producer YANG HYUN SUK.
YG has released approximately 170 performance videos and dance practice videos to date. Of these, 69 are dedicated performance videos, and their cumulative views have surpassed an astonishing 7 billion. It is a singular achievement created entirely under the direction of YANG HYUN SUK, from initial planning and stage-set production to choreography revisions and 100% of the video editing.
The foundation that has allowed YANG HYUN SUK to pursue performance videos with such aesthetic determination is his fundamental “choreography DNA,” developed over more than 30 years since his days as a member of Seotaiji and Boys.
Having earned acclaim as a professional dancer from a young age, he debuted with Seotaiji and Boys in 1992 and sparked a sensation throughout the Korean music industry. In particular, it is regarded as an open secret and a legend within the industry that YANG HYUN SUK personally created the choreography for every song across Seotaiji and Boys’ first through fourth albums. Although the fact was not widely publicized due to his tendency not to place his own achievements at the forefront, his dedication to and instinct for choreography later continued through the choreography of signature YG songs, including BIGBANG’s “LIE” and “LAST FAREWELL,” and 2NE1’s “Fire.”
It was also his conviction that expanded the essential visuals and choreography artists sought to express beyond the limitations of music shows and established “performance videos” as an independent content category. Going beyond conventional DANCE PRACTICE videos that merely recorded formations in casual clothing, he created content featuring large-scale dance crews and elaborate stage effects, delivering an overwhelming level of immersion comparable to or even greater than that of music videos.
The choreographic instinct and uncompromising dedication he had demonstrated since his Seotaiji and Boys days ultimately bore fruit in historic achievements, including BLACKPINK leading YG past 100 million YouTube subscribers and YG’s performance videos surpassing 7 billion cumulative views.
As both a “legendary dancer” and a producer, YANG HYUN SUK understands the power of choreography better than anyone. Global K-POP fans are now eagerly anticipating the new performance videos he will create for TREASURE, BABYMONSTER, and the next generation of YG artists.
2026. 8. 6.
