Sunmi Credits Lia Kim With Bringing Storytelling to K-Pop Choreography

The October 4 episode of EBS documentary series Witnessing the Era featured Lia Kim, head of 1MILLION and a prominent K-pop choreographer. Sunmi, a longtime collaborator, discussed how Kim’s approach helped shape the way dance is used in K-pop performances.

Kim described rebuilding her career after a seven-to-eight-year slump. She set aside her pride, sought opportunities with younger dancers and adopted a beginner’s mindset. Her work includes choreography for TWICE’s “TT,” I.O.I’s “Very Very Very” and Sunmi’s “Gashina,” including its finger-gun dance. Sunmi also said she personally asked Kim to choreograph “24 Hours,” believing Kim could create dance suited to an artist’s character. Kim said that conveying an artist’s identity is central to an engaging performance.

Choreographer Kany praised the memorable, visually distinctive quality of Kim’s work, naming “Gashina” and Hwasa’s “Maria” as favorites. Sunmi described Kim’s influence as a shift from choreography focused on impressive dancing to movement that tells a story and leaves lasting scenes in viewers’ memories.