Street Man Fighter's WDBZ Claims Top Honors at 2025 Choreo Awards for Jennie's Viral Hit
Hip-hop choreography crew We Dem Boyz swept the second annual Choreo Awards on January 24, taking home both the grand prize and best K-pop choreography award for their work on BLACKPINK Jennie's global smash "Like Jennie."
The ceremony at Seoul's YES24 Live Hall recognized WDBZ leaders Vata and Ingyoo alongside collaborator Silvergun for creating one of 2025's most impactful dance routines. "Like Jennie" dominated Spotify as the most-streamed K-pop song in the first half of 2025 and hit number one on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart.
From Street Man Fighter to K-Pop's Top Choreographers
WDBZ first gained nationwide attention as runners-up on Mnet's "Street Man Fighter" in November 2022, finishing second to champion Just Jerk with 44,274 public votes. The 10-episode dance competition featured eight crews battling across various challenges, with hosts Kang Daniel and judges BoA, Eunhyuk, and Wooyoung.
Since then, the crew has become a driving force in K-pop choreography. Their signature style blends hip-hop foundations with large-scale formations and intricate group dynamics-elements that made "Like Jennie" an instant viral phenomenon across TikTok and Instagram.
Why These Awards Matter for Dance Creators
The Korea Choreography Copyright Association (KCCA) launched the Choreo Awards to address a critical industry gap: choreographers rarely receive proper recognition or legal protection despite being essential to K-pop's global success.
KCCA Chair Lia Kim, founder of 1Million Dance Studio, explained the void these awards fill. "There are film awards and many ceremonies across different content and art fields, but dance was missing," she said. Only 2.2% of Korean choreographers have registered their works with the Korea Copyright Commission, highlighting the urgent need for copyright awareness and fair contracts.
The association is working with Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to establish standard contracts between choreographers and entertainment agencies in early 2025.
Complete 2025 Award Winners
Grand Prize: We Dem Boyz (WDBZ)
Best K-Pop Choreography: "Like Jennie" by WDBZ (Vata, Ingyoo, Silvergun)
Dance Star: KYOKA (World Street Woman Fighter)
Male Dancer: Jin
Female Dancer: Locker Zee
Dance Impact: Studio Choom
Special K-Pop Choreography: G-Dragon's "Too Bad"
Japanese dancer KYOKA's win reflects K-dance's expanding international influence, while Studio Choom's recognition celebrates the platform's role in showcasing choreography to global audiences.
International Recognition Gap
Foreign choreographers noted Korea's unique approach to crediting dance creators. Australian choreographer Vanessa Dai from AG Squad observed the contrast with Western markets: "In the Western world, it's more based off of the artist. All that we do is for the artist, whereas here you can dance for an artist, but you also create more of a name for yourself."
French choreographer Kany Diabate Ahn, who won Dance Challenge of the Year for "Smooth Smooth," echoed this sentiment. She's choreographed for Beyoncé and multiple K-pop acts but noted that choreographers "don't really get credits that much" in the U.S. market.
The ceremony featured performances from 1MILLION, BEBE, If I, Aiki x Gimugan, and Enjoy Couple, with live streaming on Naver TV extending reach beyond the Seoul venue.
"Like Jennie" Impact by the Numbers
Released March 7, 2025, "Like Jennie" became the fastest song by an Asian artist to hit 100 million Spotify streams that year, achieving the milestone in just 24 days. The track has surpassed 620 million streams and peaked at number five on Billboard's Global 200.
The choreography's viral dance challenge generated hundreds of millions of views across social platforms, with K-pop idols, dancers, and fans worldwide creating their own versions. The routine's accessibility combined with its high-energy formations made it one of 2025's defining dance moments.
WDBZ's double win at the Choreo Awards establishes them as leading creative voices in contemporary K-pop while advancing the broader movement to secure recognition and fair compensation for dance creators shaping global entertainment.
The 2025 Choreo Awards was organized by Grigo Entertainment, Danstruct, and 1Million Dance Studio, with support from Team Same, picho, FODI, Hafa Christine, Baron, Monster Gel, and Lotte Chilsung.
