When she was growing up, Jo Na-In — a dancer and choreographer on the hit Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters — followed a friend to her first dance academy and was labeled a “klutz,” but through relentless effort, she managed to gain admission to Seoul Performing Arts High School’s Practical Dance department. In 2020, she joined the world-renowned dance crew Just Jerk and boldly dropped out of school to enter the professional world when she was only 17 years old.
The following year, Jo Nain appeared on Street Dance Girls Fighter (SuGirlPa), a spin-off of the wildly popular Korean dance variety show Street Woman Fighter, and led the crew TURNS to victory.She was recognized as the best female high school dancer in Korea, and Vogue Korea named her among “The 24 people leading the changes of the era.”
With such an early start building an exceptional career as a dancer, she is not only a superb performer, but also a capable choreographer. Even before participating in SuGirlPa, Jo Na-In stood out by contributing to NMIXX’s “DICE” choreography, and in 2022 alone, she produced choreo for a number of K-pop girl groups who define the genre, including ITZY’s “SNEAKERS” (and two other tracks), TWICE’s “Talk that Talk” and STAYC’s “I LIKE IT.”
Trending on Billboard
Recently, her touch extended to performances for rookie girl groups who drew attention right after their debut, such as ILLIT, Hearts2Hearts and BABYMONSTER.
She has also worked on conceptually choreographing for performance-focused artists like SHINee KEY’s “Hunter” and NCT TEN’s “BAMBOLA.”
“In the last three years alone, I’ve created more than 150 choreographies,” she says. When asked what fuels her endless creativity, she points to a fierce drive to win rather than talent.
Moreover, Jo Na-In has been a passionate K-pop listener since elementary school, famously a fan of BTS’ Jung Kook. During SuGirlPa, Jung Kook personally named her YouTube channel Have A Good NAIN, a moment that gave her great encouragement.
This year, her career has leapt once again. KPop Demon Hunters, for which she co-produced two tracks, gained worldwide love as soon as it was released on Netflix. Three teams — K Tigers, The Black Label’s Lee Jung and Jam Republic’s Jo Na-In — were involved in the choreography, and among them Jo Na-In worked on “Golden” and “Takedown.” In particular, “Golden” has emerged as one of the most beloved soundtrack songs and recently topped the Billboard Hot 100 U.S. songs chart, marking a historic milestone in K-pop history. “For a dancer, Billboard is typically a distant chart, but the moment my choreography achieved that level of success on Billboard, I was both stunned and thrilled.”
Having sprinted toward that moment, Jo Na-In’s future looks even brighter. Through her, we glimpse why K-pop is loved all around the world, and the shining dedication and passion of young creators beyond that. Here is the one-on-one interview Billboard Korea had with her.
How did you join the KPop Demon Hunters project?
Sony Pictures Animation suggested the project to my agency Jam Republic, and during that process the head of my agency recommended me. It feels like they trusted my career and handed it to me. At first, there were many aspects shrouded in secrecy, which left me full of questions. Still, since it’s animation, I was excited that I could unfold the choreography even more broadly.
What was your first impression of the song “Golden”?
Most of all, I was struck by its size and grandeur. It felt like a scene echoing in a large venue. And above all, I thought the music was really good. The part we needed to create was about 30 seconds, but I felt compelled to choreograph more than that. For a choreographer, that immersion in the creative process is a truly important element. As a result, the production time was relatively short, since the music was so good.
In terms of choreography, what aspects did you emphasize in the creation?
Since three members of HUNTR/X were going to perform on a big stage, my first concern was how to deliver an emotional impact. So the “Golden” choreography was designed to express emotions more dramatically and intuitively than a typical K-pop performance. Also, because it’s realized through animation, I made the movements bigger and more expansive, and I paid close attention to details like facial expressions and fingertips to ensure they come across well onscreen.
“Golden” eventually reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
I still can’t quite believe it. I can vividly remember the atmosphere in the practice room while I was choreographing the “Golden” routine. At that time, I just wanted to have fun doing what I wanted to do, and it’s amazing that that result ended up a Billboard No. 1. It feels like proof that joyfully created work can resonate with people.
Among the 30-second choreography in “Golden,” is there a point you personally feel you did really well?
I’d say the intro. The usual K-pop formula is for all members to stand in the same spot and start together, but in “Golden,” the point was Rumi opening with a solo performance. I wanted to highlight the protagonist of the story. People around me said that part was memorable, and I personally agree.
Was there a funny episode during the motion-capture shoot?
The shoot ended way faster than I expected. [Laughs] The Sony Pictures Animation crew had been setting things up, and while they went out to grab coffee for the cast, the filming wrapped up. I tend to be someone who wants to be perfectly prepared, and since I don’t think I’m naturally talented, I push myself to prepare more and work hard.
Worldwide, K-pop is more loved than ever. What do you think is the reason for that?
K-pop is music that’s great for shared experiences. It’s not just about singing; multiple members perform onstage together, and fans naturally form one community. The process of many people coming together to create a shared resonance is a major appeal, and that’s why more people are getting deeply into it.
What does Jo Na-In think are the defining features of K-pop choreography?
The choreography needs to feature several standout moments. These days, many signature moves can especially become dance challenges. However, I tend to avoid choreography that focuses solely on challenges. I think it’s important to express the music with the body in a way that’s easy to remember and that anyone can imitate. Rather than just making things harder or highlighting only the signature moves, I aim for choreography that is more conscious of the music.
Beyond K-pop, is there a pop artist you’d like to collaborate with on choreography?
Lady Gaga, definitely. After watching her “Abracadabra” performance, I felt a renewed, strong resonance with her artistry. I’d love to choreograph for her, creating a piece that blends theatricality, bold dynamics, and fashion-driven movement. I’d draw on her stage persona across different performances, crafting choreography that crosses genres and evolves with the music, while collaborating closely through practice and live footage to capture her fearless, multidimensional artistry. Gaga’s ability to transcend genres is endlessly inspiring to me.
