Aspect Dance Team performs to “Focus” by Hearts2Hearts during the dance competition at the K-pop Knight event hosted by CAB on Monday in the Cape Florida Ballroom.
Maria Fernanda Valente Pereira
Music filled the Cape Florida Ballroom Monday night as students jumped into synchronized choreography, cheering and dancing along at UCF’s K-pop Knight event.
Hosted by the Campus Activities Board in collaboration with LGBTQ+ Services, the event brought together students through K-pop–themed activities, including a dance competition, photo card decorating, phone charm making and free boba tea.
Sara Benyamine, junior mechanical engineering major, is the special events director for CAB and said the event was designed to create a space where students could connect through a shared interest.
“I wanted them to feel like they had a community and that they found other people that are like them,” Benyamine said. “The energy here tonight was just amazing. It’s everything I was hoping for.”
Benyamine, who said she has been a K-pop fan since high school, said the idea for the event came from her own experience with the genre and a desire to bring that energy to campus.
Students dance in the Cape Florida Ballroom on Monday during the K-pop Knight event hosted by CAB.
Maria Fernanda Valente Pereira
Throughout the night, students participated in a Random Play Dance and a dance competition, where multiple teams performed choreographed routines. Unfazed Dance Crew won first place with a performance to “Hurricane” by Badvillain, while the Aspect Dance Team placed second with a routine to “Focus” by Hearts2Hearts.
For many performers, the event was both an opportunity to showcase their work and connect with others.
“We started out as a really small team, but now we’re over 20 people,” said Jornice Vales, senior integrated business major and member of the Unfazed Dance Crew. “It’s an outlet for us. You kind of enter the studio and you’re not stressed about your life, you’re just focused on the dance.”
Naomi Sternberg, junior elementary education major, is a member of the Shining Knights dance group and was a judge for the competition. She said events like this reflect the growing popularity of K-pop while maintaining a sense of community.
“I remember when it used to be like nobody liked it [K-pop] and you really had to latch on to the people that you knew,” Sternberg said. “There’s still that sense of finding camaraderie in a shared topic like this.”
Students in attendance said the event helped break stereotypes around K-pop and allowed them to openly express their interests.
“I think it’s nice that people realize there are other people that like what I like,” said Ana Sofia Londono, sophomore math major and member of the Aspect dance team and club. “You shouldn’t be scared to show what you like.”
Unfazed Dance Crew performing “Hurricane” by Badvillain during the dance competition at the K-pop Knight event hosted by CAB on Monday in the Cape Florida Ballroom.
Maria Fernanda Valente Pereira
Organizers and attendees alike said the genre’s growing appeal stems from its diversity in sound and performance.
Michael King, speech-language pathology graduate student and member of the Unfazed Dance Crew, said K-pop’s growing popularity comes from its variety.
“K-pop is not just one type of music,” King said. “It’s really something for everybody.”
As students continued dancing and cheering throughout the night, the event highlighted how shared interests, from music to performance, can foster connection on campus.