When you’re in New York, you never know what you’re going to see.
In a city that never sleeps, there’s adventure and surprises lurking around every corner.
Simply walking down the street in New York can be a momentous occasion— as these passersby ultimately learned when they were treated to an amazing, impromptu street performance.
In the video, you see a man set up on the street with a drum kit made from various drums, buckets, pots, and pans.
At first, he’s not happy to be filmed, but he quickly sits down, unable to resist the pull of the beat.
Using the makeshift drums, the drummer proceeds to bust out an impressively funky rhythm— but when the man beside him starts to move, the crowd really goes wild.
The man beside him is Poppin Hyun Joon, a South Korean contemporary dancer known for his incredible ‘popping’ moves.
Invented by Boogaloo Sam from the 70s dance group the Electric Boogaloos, popping is a style of dance closely related to the hip-hop genre. One of the original funk styles, popping is an umbrella term for a group of styles and techniques that involve contracting and relaxing one’s muscles to create a jerk in the body known as a ‘pop’.
Popping dancers ‘pop’ and jerk their bodies to the rhythm of the music, incorporating various movements and poses, such as ticking, tutting, and gliding. Of all the professional ‘poppers’, however, Poppin Hyun Joon may be the most renowned.
Deciding to pursue dancing after his rap group disbanded, the former rapper quickly earned notoriety amongst Korean celebrities for his incredible dance style and moves— going on to become one of the best-known popping dancers in the World Hip Hop Championship leagues.
As the man drums a funky beat, Poppin Hyun Joon proceeds to wow everyone with his unbelievably fluid footwork.
At one point, the camera glances backward and you can see a large group of people has gathered to watch the impromptu show.
It’s honestly hard to tell who’s more impressive— Hyun Joon who obviously has incredible dance moves or the drummer who is killing it on the makeshift drum set.
By the end of the performance, even the drummer has to give Poppin Hyun Joon a hug, thanking him for the incredible show.
As quickly as it started, the show is over— another magical memory on the streets of New York.
Since being uploaded, the duo’s performance has been viewed a hundred thousand times.
Comments on the video read:
“In my humble opinion, Nam Hyun Joon is one of the best poppers and entertainers ever.”
“Get these two on Ellen.”
“THAT WAS THE BEST DANCE VIDEO EVER!”
See the incredible moment below!
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