KGE showcases part of Korean culture in ‘easy and fun’ way

Courtesy / Nathaniel Foster

Courtesy / Nathaniel Foster

CeNique Yeldell

It was the night before finals when a group of students came up with what they call the best decision ever made at 2 a.m.: to form the dance group now known as Kpop Group Evolution.

Aiming to prove that there is more to Korean pop music than the song “Gangnam Style” by PSY, the Grand Valley State University club Kpop Group Evolution performs a variety of songs that are popular and high-energy.

“One of the unique things about KGE is that it has this incredible energy that buzzes through all the members at nearly every waking moment,” said Ryan Bardusch, group member. “GVSU students should attend our performances because we offer a high-energy performance that’s really unlike any other group on campus.”

Bardusch said k-pop music can appeal to audiences across the board because it encompasses many different genres of music, including hip-hop, metal, indie and dubstep.

On March 13 at 5 p.m. in the Grand River Room of the Kirkhof Center, KGE will be showcasing its main event of the year: “K-pop Unleashed.” There will also be performances by the Belly Dance Club and Swing Dance Club.

A few former members of the Korean International Society banded together to create KGE because of their deep interest in Korean culture, music and dance. Only a few of the members have dance experience, one of them being Ju Yong Park, a founder of the group.

During his freshman and sophomore year, Park was a member of the dance clubs Move to the Beat and Sabrosisimo. He said one of the reasons he wanted to form the group was to share a part of Korean culture in a way that is easy and fun.

Park said some of the songs the club will be performing Thursday night are by groups like 2ne1, Bangtan Boys, Girls Generation and VIXX. These groups may sound unfamiliar to some but are hits with the Korean music fan base.

Janell Williams, another founder of the group, said they don’t require members to be good at dancing or even to perform. Prior to the club she didn’t have any dance experience herself, which she said makes learning the dances that much more fun.

Updates on the group and upcoming performances can be found on the Facebook page Kpop Group Evolution .