Here Are 11 K-Pop Dance Moves That Were Banned By The Korean Government

Sometimes, K-Pop dances are deemed inappropriate by the Korean Broadcasting System (or KBS) for various reasons. Usually it’s due to a dance being too sexually suggestive, but sometimes there are other reasons as well! Many times, fans think that the changes aren’t necessary, but other times it does seem a bit more appropriate for young audiences to make a dance less suggestive. These are 11 of the most well-known cases of KBS banning certain dance moves and forcing the groups to chance their choreographies.

1. “Full Moon” by Sunmi

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

The original dance had Sunmi sensually spreading her legs while sitting on a couch. Unfortunately, this was deemed too sexual by KBS, so she changed it to only opening her legs from the knees down.

2. “Miniskirt” by AOA

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

In the beginning of “Miniskirt”‘s choreography, the girls unzip their shorts up their thighs and wiggle their hips. Even though the members looks great in the original, they had to take out the unzipping part, since it was considered too suggestive.

3. “So Cool” by SISTAR

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

In the original choreography, the SISTAR members cutely rubbed their hands on their butts and swayed their hips, which matched the vibe of the song well. But, of course, KBS didn’t approve of this, so they took out the hands-on-their-butts part of the dance.

4. “B.B.B” by Dalshabet

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

While the original dance had the members resting their hands on the sides of their chest in a more sensual, suggestive position, they had to change to rest their hands more on the center of their chest over their hearts, to make it look a little less sexy. They still look great!

5. “A” by RAINBOW

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

In the original dance, the members lifted up their shirts to show off their gorgeous abs. Unfortunately, this was considered too sexy by, of course, KBS, so in the “fixed” version they only mimicked the movement without actually touching their shirts.

6. “Voodoo Doll” by VIXX

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

“Voodoo Doll” is one dance on this list that didn’t have a dance move banned for being too sexy, but rather, too violent. The “stabbing” motion that they did with the staff they used as a prop was deemed inappropriately violent for live shows, so they changed it to Ken stabbing it on the ground while N shoots his arm into the air instead.

7. “Mirror Mirror” by 4MINUTE

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

The girls originally knelt on the ground to do a series of leg spreads in the dance, but this was understandably a bit too sexual for all audiences, so they had to change the dance quite a bit to just standing and doing other movements for this part of the choreography. They pulled off each of them flawlessly, though!

8. “Up & Down” by EXID

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

This is probably one of the most well-known cases of KBS forcing a change in choreography. The hip thrusts that EXID is now so well-known for in “Up & Down” wasn’t approved of by KBS, so they changed it slightly to swaying their hips around instead.

9. “Marionette” by STELLAR

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

This is one dance where some might argue that the fixed version is better overall. The original “butt scratching” movement was a bit awkward to some, so when they changed it to just resting their arms on their lower backs instead, it comes across as a little less so.

10. “Amazing Bad Lady” by Cross Gene

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

The original and fixed versions of the dance for “Amazing Bad Lady” aren’t too different; the main difference is where the members rest their hands. While in the original they were rubbing their hands over their crotches, in the fixed version, they simply rested them on their belts. Still sensual, but not quite so suggestive!

11. “Paradise Lost” by Gain (Brown Eyed Girls)

Original:

Your browser does not support video.

Changed:

Your browser does not support video.

Similar to Sunmi’s “Full Moon”, Gain had to change the part of her dance where she spread her legs wide apart while sitting on the floor. Instead, she just continues to sway her hips and look overall amazing regardless of the change.