How dance crew Neuron shaped BTS’s j-hope’s passion for dance
The group reminisces on their humble beginnings and how they turned the rapper into one of K-pop's best dancers
From left, DXNG WXX, AD Bomb, j-hope, MISHKA KINGZ, and Daek2.
Courtesy of Neuron
Words by Samantha Lui
From his historic headlining performance at Lollapalooza as a solo artist, to adding his flair to BTS’s complex choreography, rapper j-hope is known as one of the most versatile dancers in the K-pop industry.
But before he became a member of one of the biggest boy bands in the world, j-hope first honed his skills as a street performer in his hometown of Gwangju, South Korea. And it’s all thanks to his former dance crew Neuron, which still holds strong ties to the rapper years later.
The crew has received shoutouts in j-hope’s hit songs such as “Chicken Noodle Soup,” and was the subject of the track “NEURON (with Gaeko, yoonmirae)” from the rapper’s album Hope on the Street Vol. 1, which was released this past March. Fans also got a closer glimpse of j-hope’s ties with Neuron in the accompanying Prime Video docuseries HOPE ON THE STREET, in which the rapper visits his hometown dance studio and catches up with the group to learn more about his dancing roots, but also to show his fans where he developed his passion.
According to members of Neuron, the reunion with the BTS performer, born Jung Hoseok, was like old times, despite not seeing each other for about seven years.
“It’s quite a moving moment that [j-hope] remembers working with Neuron since he was young,” Neuron’s artistic director DXNG WXX tells JoySauce through an interpreter over Zoom. “Even though he became a world class artist, he still talks about Neuron in his songs or interviews. So, it was quite touching for us to be remembered by him.”
Neuron’s beginnings
Founded in 2006 in Gwangju, members of Neuron were friends first who spent a lot of time together while hanging out at a local dance academy, at times even staying the night after hours of training. This helped create a family like atmosphere, sparking the inspiration to create a dance crew. Today, Neuron is made up of a group of artists including choreographers, dancers, rappers, art directors and videographers. Original members of Neuron include DXNG WXX, MISHKA KINGZ (dancer, singer, designer, film director), AD Bomb (dancer, choreographer, film director), and Daek2 (dancer, painter, visual artist). Members Gameil (singer, producer, idol director) and DHillTownKid (rapper, producer, sound engineer) joined the crew in 2022 and also help with Neuron’s creative direction.
Neuron’s beginnings also came at a time when K-pop was just starting to cross over globally, with the growing popularity of groups like Wonder Girls, Girls Generation, Big Bang, 2PM and Super Junior.
But according to DXNG WXX, the group’s appointed spokesperson, street dance in the 2000s was not as popular among K-pop bands, who focused more on “easier-to-follow or trendy movements” as seen in songs like Wonder Girls’ “Tell Me” and Super Junior’s “Sorry Sorry.”
DXNG WXX adds that Neuron was also misunderstood at times for what they were doing. In a society that favored academics and getting a good job, he says many of their elders also did not see dancing as a serious profession.
But over the years, DXNG WXX says media outlets and reality competition shows like Street Man Fighter started giving more attention to the art of hip-hop dancing. Now, he says he believes this style of dance is more mainstream than ever.
“After the public's level of interest has increased, idols now seem to try and learn these [styles] of dance professionally,” he says. “It seems like the perception of hip-hop, street dance has changed a lot.”
In addition to performances and concerts, over the years, members of Neuron competed in dance battles, and put on education workshops. They have also become known for blending dance genres including hip-hop, breaking, popping, locking, and freestyle.
The group members add that their hometown of Gwangju, which is considered a major cultural hub in South Korea, has also served as inspiration in how they perform together as a group.
From left, the four original members of Neuron: Daek2, MISHKA KINGZ, DXNG WXX, and AD Bomb.
Courtesy of Neuron
“Gwangju has a lot of influence in the country artistically, with developments in music, dance or art,” says member Gameil, who works as a singer, producer and idol director with Neuron. “So young people who are learning to dance or growing up in this city are exchanging a lot of good [ideas], experience and influences with others in a cultural capital.”
Shaping j-hope into the dancer he is
Given Gwangju’s roots as a creative hub, it’s no surprise to see how the city has shaped j-hope’s talent and passion for dance.
According to DXNG WXX, j-hope first joined Neuron when he was 13 and showed an interest for dance early on. He describes the K-pop star, now 30, as having lots of “positive energy,” always laughing with others in class.
AD Bomb also remembers j-hope being a hard worker, pouring out his energy by practicing moves on his own. That determination, he says, has since transferred over to j-hope’s persona on stage. “You can see how he worked on his moves or his facial expressions,” AD Bomb says. “Even though audiences or fans [may] not pick up those details, I think they can feel it when j-hope is on the stage."
Despite not seeing j-hope for years, the members of Neuron recall their reunion with the rapper being as if no time had passed at all. In HOPE ON THE STREET, the crew are seen reminiscing with j-hope about his early days taking part in dance competitions, and gifting him a photo album of pictures filled with memories from previous years.
“Since we have a lot of affection for each other and memories together, we didn’t really feel awkward at all,” DXNG WXX says of their meeting with the star. “We felt that a short time had passed while we were away from each other. Because we were filming for a documentary, working together was a reminder of the memories we had as a team before.”
After the docu-series finished filming, j-hope enlisted in the military in April 2023 as per South Korean law, and is expected to be discharged on Oct. 17. So while Neuron have not been able to see the rapper as often, crew members say they continue to maintain their relationship with j-hope.
Neuron’s future
This past February, Neuron performed a heartfelt dance routine in honor of j-hope's birthday, highlighting their long friendship. And on Instagram, where the crew has more than 27,400 followers, they post dance covers and host gatherings with BTS fans.
Having been together as a dance crew for nearly two decades, the members of Neuron say their love of dance has never wavered.
In the years to come, they hope to continue promoting their art form in their city, their country, and across international borders. But most of all, they want all aspiring performers to always remember where they came from in order to keep their love of dance alive.
“We want our value of dancing to be happiness, and to show that the importance of street dance is to know your roots,” says AD Bomb. “So whether you're an idol or dancer, I hope that they study the history of what they're doing right now and remember why you started.”
Singer-songwriter DoBeat and Maria Elena De Matteo assisted with translations for this interview.
Published on October 15, 2024