Despite the pressure of a looming deadline, the energy in the dance studio is fun and friendly.
There’s laughter and clapping as the dancers try to synchronise to the fast-paced beat.
Jessica Ly admits to some pre-show nerves.
“Like, we’re stressed, but it’s a good stress, I guess. Excited!” she says.
Dancers Jessica (top left), Bree, Alice, and River rehearse for their K-pop showcase as part of the BrisAsia Festival. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
Ms Ly is one of about 200 performers who’ll be taking to the stage on Saturday as part of a K-pop showcase for the BrisAsia Festival.
Producer Alice Chang says the local K-pop scene is soaring.
“We have a huge and growing community,” she said.
“I love it because it brings the community together, more so than just the music.”
Already booming globally, interest in K-pop only escalated when the Netflix animated movie KPop Demon Hunters became a huge hit.
It was Netflix’s most-watched title in 2025.
KPop Demon Hunters was a global smash hit. (Supplied: Netflix)
“Crazy”, is how Ms Chang describes its impact.
“We had an on-stage K-pop workshop and … we had a bunch of kids that just want to learn K-pop because of it.”
Suzi Coronado Veranes, who owns a dance studio in Brisbane’s Woolloongabba, has experienced a similar rush in demand.
“We specialise in international street styles.
“We’ve been doing K-pop for about two years now, but as soon as the Demon Hunters movie came out, the numbers just blew up,” she said.
Suzi Coronado Veranes says demand for K-pop classes has exploded. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
“Korean fashion, Korean skincare, Korean music is just a big phenomenon at the moment, and everyone around the world is catching on to it.
“It’s a really cool culture to be in.”K-pop supergroup BTS reveal Australian tour dates
In 2025, the movie’s hit anthem Golden spent 10 weeks at number one in the Aria charts and this year won a Golden Globe award.
Australian fans of K-pop supergroup BTS have been sent into a frenzy with news of a world tour.
Brisbane K-pop student Vivi Pham Dac raves about her musical idols.
“I am absolutely in love with BTS and Stray Kids.
“They work so hard. They write their own songs, and sing and dance; they’re so talented,” she says.
Vivi Phan Dac used to practice K-pop dancing at home before taking up formal lessons. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
The 13-year-old used to practice K-pop dance at home, copying moves from YouTube videos before formally taking up classes with her instructor Raina Joo, who first started teaching in Korea 20 years ago.
“It was already popular, but now it’s booming!” Ms Joo says.
And it’s more than just dance.
“You need to dance, and then visually you have to do the facial expressions, and also fashion as well,” she said.
Raina Joo has been teaching K-pop for 20 years. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
River Hart has been performing K-pop dance for 14 years.
Every week, she drives from the Gold Coast — where she lives and works — to Brisbane to practice with her group, LI7.
“I’m a travel agent during the day, and then at night, I’m a K-pop dancer,” she says.
“li7 was one of the first groups around in Brisbane, and it’s just expanded so so so much.
“It’s been really amazing to see it grow from a very small community to a massive community.”
River Hart says it’s been “really amazing” to see how the community has grown. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
Ms Hart says K-pop’s mass appeal lies in its variety.
“I think it’s because there’s something for everybody,” she said.
“There’s ballad music, there’s rock music, there’s pop music, there’s rap music, and it’s very visual as well.
“It’s not just the music that people are into. The production that goes behind all of K-pop is incredible as well.”