Choreographer Back Koo-young wins Mnet competition

Veteran K-pop choreographer and performance director Back Koo-young has won the Mnet competition series ‘Street World Fighter: Director’s War’. The victory marks his first major competition title following a 24-year career in the industry.

Back, who is 41 years old, has held significant roles as a performance director for SM Entertainment and a director at the 1MILLION dance studio. His extensive portfolio includes creating iconic choreography for major K-pop acts such as EXO, TVXQ!, Super Junior, BoA, and Seventeen. Notably, he is credited with the worldwide dance challenge movements for EXO’s ‘Ko Ko Bop’.

During a press interview, Back reflected on the challenges of competing against younger directors while managing physical injuries to his back and knees. He described the win as a reward for his continued effort and persistence in an industry where he had previously felt his influence was fading.