How YGX Leejung Lee Went From Watching Wonder Girls As A Kid To Choreographing For Sunmi
Leejung Lee may have been one of the youngest competitors on Mnet’s dance survival show Street Woman Fighter, but she definitely doesn’t lack in experience. The ’98 liner has worked with some of the biggest names in K-Pop, including TWICE, BLACKPINK, and her childhood idol Sunmi!
Leejung became the first female member of Just Jerk when she won first place in their 2014 auditions at just 17 years old. She credits her experience with the crew as what shaped her into the dancer she is today; with Just Jerk, she won a global dance competition, appeared on America’s Got Talent, and even performed at the 2016 Olympic Games! She left the crew in 2018 and joined NWX, leading her to YGX which she led on Street Woman Fighter in 2021.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Leejung fact-checked some online profiles of her. She confirmed some of the legendary choreographies she helped create. She collaborated with Just Jerk’s Kwak Yoon Young on MAMAMOO Wheein‘s “EASY,” her first K-Pop choreography ever. Leejung also choreographed “Pporappippam” and “SUNNY” for Sunmi, who was one of the reasons she decided to pursue professional dancing as her career!
Her dream of becoming a dancer and working with K-Pop idols began with Wonder Girls. Leejung recalled watching them perform when she was just a child. And when Leejung was in third grade, she danced to “Tell Me” and realized, “Ah, I was born to do this.”
She posted on Instagram after Sunmi’s 2021 EP 1/6 was released and expressed how much it meant to her to be able to work with Sunmi!
“Sunny” by Sunmi choreographed by me!
It was such an honor to participate as a choreographer for her new album 1/6. When I first heard the song, it made me so happy and i knew what to do. And here is the result, thank you so much to all the dancers, director, also to Sunmi unni for smashing it!– Leejung Lee
Leejung grew up watching dancers and idols perform and just ten years after being inspired by Wonder Girls, Leejung was working with K-Pop’s biggest names including Sunmi! As she said herself, you never know what will happen.
Check out the interview with other Street Woman Fighter crew leaders below!
