Dancing to passionate rhythms: A look into Korea’s vibrant Latin dance scene

Dance instructor Noble, third from right, and his students perform at a Latin dance club in Seoul in this 2024 photo. Courtesy of Gigi

At Latin A Class, a Latin dance club in southern Seoul's Gangnam District, bachata music with lyrics as hot and romantic as summer flows across the dance floor. Some 50 people fill the main hall on the basement level, communicating with each other in a language of dance that is even hotter than summer itself.

As a man extends his hand to a woman, asking her to dance, there is only the music and the quiet thrill of connection. Through bachata — a slower and more sensual Latin dance than the quick-spinning salsa — two strangers become partners and move as one.

When the male lead gives a subtle cue with his fingertips, the female follow responds with a head roll, a body wave or sometimes a flashy and expansive turn. Throughout the dance, the partners may also fluidly separate slightly and then come back together, creating dynamic tension and connection.

"I was shocked at how busy this club was even on a weekday. The energy is so fun and it’s wild to see how many people are out dancing, even on a weekday night," said Keri Schnabel, an English teacher from the U.S. who started learning bachata dance in Korea.

"I didn’t fully grasp how passionate and active the Latin dance community [here] is until I saw it firsthand. It’s such a lively and dedicated scene and so many talented dancers."

Though it varies day by day, the club typically has its main hall on the first basement level, where the most current and sensual bachata is danced. Adjacent to it, a smaller room is dedicated to kizomba — an Afro-Latin dance originated from Angola and known for its smooth, flowing movements and close embrace — complete with its own DJ. The second basement level usually plays salsa music.

Victor, left, and Monica, dancers from Japan, dance bachata at Latin music bar Playground near western Seoul's Hongik University. Courtesy of DK

An American dancer from Michigan noted a contrast between the U.S. and Korean Latin dance scenes. In the U.S., outside of a few studios, he mostly encountered beginners at Latin nights in bars, where drinking and eating took precedence over dancing, and there was a surplus of female dancers.

In Korea, he was surprised by Koreans' technical ability and the reverse gender ratio, advising, "You really have to go quick and grab the girls here to dance."

"You can go dancing every night of the week. The bar I like the most right now is Bonita in Hongdae area. There is always a good-sized crowd of mixed-ability dancers. This is important to me because I am an intermediate-level dancer," he added.

Seoul's rise as Latin dance hub

Seoul has recently emerged as a top destination in Asia for Latin dance. Salsa dance first arrived in Korea in the late 1990s and now numerous clubs are active across the country, including in Seoul's neighborhoods near Hongik University, commonly known as Hongdae, and Gangnam.

Currently, sensual bachata is especially popular in Korea's Latin dance scene. On weekends, major Latin clubs always host special events, whether it's small-scale dance showcases or workshops with international guest dancers. There are also second- and third-round after-parties at nearby bars that go on late, sometimes until 6 a.m.

Instructors Bora, right, and Jungwoo dance kizomba at Asia Kizomba Collab Festival in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, in June. Courtesy of DK

A Korean instructor named Noble who teaches all his lessons in English has been leading "La Conexion," an expat Latin dance community, since April.

He first encountered bachata in 2012 at a Seoul bar. He explained that his entire journey — from practicing the dance to building a foreigner-friendly community —stemmed from his initial curiosity about the dancers he saw that day. He wanted to create a community that connects foreign nationals and Koreans through dance, bridging different cultures.

"When I first saw people Latin dancing at the bar, their expressions were truly fascinating," he recalled. "Their faces were alight with broad smiles, radiating an undeniable happiness. As a kindergarten English teacher at the time, I was captivated, compelled to discover the source of such genuine joy. What truly drew me in was the sheer inclusivity — the effortless way anyone, regardless of age or gender, could simply mingle and connect."

People are seen at Latin dance club Bonita near western Seoul's Hongik University in this 2023 photo. Captured from Bonita's Facebook

Noble added that, in terms of average skill level, Seoul ranks among the Top 3 cities in Asia and when it comes to the dancing population, Seoul is overwhelmingly No. 1. He believes Korea offers a better environment for learning dance compared to other countries.

"In other countries, you usually just have socials at studios or open classes and dances linked with places like Mexican restaurants. But here, we have many dedicated salsa clubs and because of our large [dancing] population, socials happen almost every day. With the first- and second- round bar system, we can literally dance until dawn every day if we want to," he explained.

While foreign participants used to make up only about 0.5 percent of the dance scene in Korea 10 years ago, that number has increased. Now, about five out of 100 people in classes and socials are non-Koreans.

A defining characteristic of Korea's dance scene, he noted, is its social club-centric nature. This culture often leaves foreigners feeling like "outsiders, even like satellites" when they first enter the Latin dance community, which promoted him to launch La Conexion.

"Foreigners often say Koreans are very cliquey," he said. "They're accustomed to partying with strangers, but here, people tend to gather and dance primarily with those they already know through their communities. Foreigners often perceive this as exclusionary and I was determined to change that."

A DJ plays music at Latin dance club Latin A Class in southern Seoul's Gangnam District. Captured from Instagram

Popular foreign dancers visit

Now that Korea’s Latin dance scene is thriving, there is a growing demand drawing renowned international dancers to host workshops and boot camps.

In June, the Jeju Latin Culture Festival, Asia's largest Latin dance festival, brought together top-tier artists from within the global Top 10. This included legendary Cuban salsa dancer Maykel Fonts, Spain's "Queen of Bachata" Bersy Cortez and the talented brother duo Benny & Brandon from the U.S. These artists held workshops, drawing Latin dance enthusiasts to Jeju Island.

Latin dance festivals are also held annually in major cities across Korea, including the upcoming Busan Salsa & Bachata Festival scheduled for October. Simultaneously, popular bachata dancers among Koreans, such as Victor y Monica from Japan and Melvin and Gatica from France, have visited Korea multiple times to host boot camps and other events.

Austin, a Malaysian dancer, moved to Seoul to pursue Latin dance seriously. After investing a whole five years, he became a bachata instructor and joined La Conexion.

"Korean dancers are recognized across Asia and beyond for their precision and discipline. There's a strong emphasis on mastering fundamentals and technique, with many dancers dedicating years to refining the basics before advancing. This dedication results in clean execution and a high standard of social dancing," he said, adding that Korea is seen as the "mecca for Latin dance in Asia."

He said like the K-pop training system, the Latin dance training culture here is intense yet inspiring.

"Group classes, private lessons and practice sessions happen several times a week. Many dancers approach Latin dance with the same seriousness and commitment as martial artists or classical musicians, creating an environment that pushes everyone to grow and excel while maintaining deep respect for the art," he said.

Dancers Melvin, left, and Gatica, from France, perform at Latin dance club Latin A Class in southern Seoul's Gangnam District. Captured from Latin A Class Instagram

Finding love, identity on dance floor

For Lee Bo-ra, known as Bora in the dance community, bachata was life-changing. She left a decade of corporate life at Samsung behind, journeying to Spain to master the dance. Since 2017, she has been teaching bachata and kizomba in Korea.

She described her first encounter with bachata as "falling in love."

"For the brief, intense span of a song — three or four minutes — you're intertwined with your partner, dancing with an affection so profound it genuinely feels like romance itself, a veritable explosion of dopamine," she recounted. "I'd always held a rather unfeminine view of myself, yet this dance allowed me to unearth a hidden depth within. That unending discovery of a new identity was the magnetic force that truly drew me in."

She advises that salsa and bachata are ideal for individuals who enjoy outward expression and a vibrant, noticeable presence — those who like others to see their energy. On the other hand, she steers more emotionally sensitive people towards kizomba or tango. While these latter styles may not appear overly flashy, the interplay and connection are far more subtle and profoundly sensitive, making them a perfect fit for a more introspective spirit.

"[The magic of Latin dance is] a physical language, a conversation of unspoken signals between bodies. Unlike spoken words, once you grasp this unique form of communication, you're utterly captivated — there's no turning back," she said.