Chae Da-som is a choreographer with a distinctive dance style loved by many. She is well-known as the choreographer for K-pop idol group IZONE and IVE, working on the moves for both La Vie en Rose and Love Dive. Choreographer Chae Da-som earned an exceptional reputation for creating choreography that matches the individual characteristics of singers, which then in turn helps them stand out and perform better. Her choreography turns people’s eyes not only to the song but also to the performance, with picture-like vivid motions. She has contributed constantly to the spread and development of K-pop culture. Choreographer Chae Da-som also gained public interest with the program Street Women Fighter bringing attention to dancers in South Korea who had otherwise been obscured by celebrities’ flashy performances. The Hanyang Journal had the chance to meet Chae Da-som and hear her story as a passionate and talented choreographer.
# Chae Da-som
Q. Hello. Please introduce yourself.
A. Hello. My name is Chae Da-som, the choreographer from Free Mind.
Q. Please introduce Free Mind, the choreography crew that you are involved in.
A. Free Mind is a dance team with about 30 members. We have been active for 20 years now. We make lots of TV and stage appearances, but there are more choreographers than dancers. Also, when we recruit new members, we mainly prefer choreographers over dancers.
# Chae Da-som as a Choreographer
Q. How did you first become interested in dancing?
A. When I was in first grade of middle school, one of my friends suggested me to join the afterschool hip-hop class. At first, I was reluctant to do so because I had never danced before. I eventually decided to give it a try, and it was actually a lot of fun. I kept practicing at home, so my mom recommended me to go to a dance academy. This is how I started my dancing career, and since then I have been working at it non-stop.
Q. How did you start your career as a choreographer?
A. It was not always my dream to be a choreographer. When I was 20 years old, I joined a dance team to gain stage experience as a backup dancer. Also, Free Mind was not the team that I was originally involved in. I was in a dance team that principally did performances, not choreography. The leader of the team at the time opened a gate for me to choreograph and made a good impression on me. I was able to improve a lot and join Free Mind where I began my career as a choreographer.
Q. What do you think is the most important part when creating choreography?
A. When I choreograph, I try my best to make it memorable so that others want to copy it. This is actually what every client requests. Besides, I tend to go along with the overall flow of the song. I do not want my dance to be focused just on the highlight part but evenly from intro to outro, considering the whole flow. This way, people will observe a continuous stream of motion that goes along with the music.
Q. Please tell us briefly about the process and amount of time it takes to choreograph.
A. When a client orders a choreography, I receive a guided version of the song and a lyrics sheet. I listen to the music, create some moves, and film them. Next, I go through the revision process with the client and get confirmation. Finally, I start giving lessons to the singers. When the broadcasting activity begins, I accompany the singers for the directing for the first week. The amount of time it takes to make a new choreography is usually about two to three weeks, but it varies a lot since the clients have different schedules and requests. For example, I have received a request on the 1st of the month and the music video shooting was scheduled on the 10th, which meant that I had to finish making within three days and do a lesson in four days.
Q. What do you think is your strength as a choreographer?
A. I think my strength as a choreographer is that I have my own unique style. Following a trend is important these days, but I try not to be bound by trends when I create something. However, many people still like and follow my dances. These catch on with the public and become new trends. In other words, I do not have to follow the mainstream to gain popularity but just do things in my own way and still carry out positive reactions.
Q. When you choreograph, are you the type of person who is driven by instant inspiration or do you instead strategically plan out things?
A. I do sometimes get inspiration, but I usually try to build my choreography step by step from the beginning. When I struggle with coming up with ideas, I often space out, look around a lot, or search the Internet for inspiration.
Q. While the program Street Women Fighter has brought attention to dancers and choreographers recently, you have received lots of attention for the choreography of Love Dive by IVE. Have you realized your popularity?
A. Yes, I have realized my popularity recently. I did not notice at first, but my family sent me screenshots of complimentary comments on choreography videos. The comments about singers used to dominate these platforms, but now those about performance and choreography are easily spotted. I feel like fans nowadays have started to pay more attention to not only singers but also choreographers and songwriters. This has helped me realize the popularity.
Q. What is your favorite choreography so far?
A. Even though it did not make a big splash, my favorite choreography so far is Puzzle Moon by Girls in the Park. When I received the request from the company, they wanted me to make the dance threedimensional so that it can be seen from various angles. I cherish this choreography because from then on, I started to have my own style which places emphasis on the overall structure and shape. For example, when making a flower or a heart shape in a choreography, I consider how the posture is seen from different angles and insert lively motions rather than conventional ones. I also like La Vie en Rose by IZONE since it received many favorable reactions.
Q. What was the most meaningful or proud moment working as a choreographer?
A. I feel proud when my family acknowledges what I am doing. I do not like making TV appearances or doing interviews since I am not a coherent or logical speaker. However, my mom loves me making public appearances. I felt shy at first, but I was happy when my family experienced joy seeing me in the media. I also feel good when I read positive comments about my work, especially when my family sees them.
Q. Have you ever experienced any difficulties? If so, tell us how you overcame them.
A. I feel stressed when I have trouble coming up with choreography ideas. For instance, I once had to make a choreography within three days, but I did not have any ideas until the night of the second day. I stayed in the practice room the whole time and tried to come up with ideas by any means. I do not think there is really a way to overcome this. I just try to listen to the song continuously and dance as much as I can.
# Chae Da-som’s 2022 and the Future
Q. Are there any goals that you want to achieve in 2022?
A. I have not had any breaks in last few years, so I took a break for a month in July this year. I went on a trip with my family, and we had such a good time. Apart from the professional aspect, I would like to go on another trip far away this year before my parents get older. Other than that, I want to have choreography lessons in the United States to broaden my horizons.
Q. What kind of choreographer do you want to be remembered as?
A. I could not ask for more than just to be remembered. It would be incredibly touching to simply be remembered as a choreographer that companies look for when singers with various styles make comebacks.
Q. Do you have any advice for people who want to become a choreographer like you?
A. When I first received a choreography lesson, my teacher told me to make my own style, and I truly relate to this. If you make your own unique style, there will always be people who like what you do and look for it. Therefore, I would suggest people try to have their own dance style to succeed as a choreographer.
Q. Are there any last words for the readers of the Hanyang Journal and students at Hanyang University (HYU)?
A. Although I do not consider myself a trendy choreographer, I will work hard so that even students at HYU who do not study dance can recognize me. So please watch my progress with interest. Thank you.
