Love Red Velvet's edgy and indescribably cool image? You have Rie Hata to thank.
A choreographer can only make a difference when the artists fully trust them — with Rie Hata, K-pop group Red Velvet chose her to steer them towards their current gritty image, with the help of some electrifying dance moves.
Rie Hata was responsible for the choreography of their iconic music video 'Bad Boy', which featured the five-piece girl group shedding their once-cutesy image for something darker and more stylish.
Although, as she tells us, it wasn't easy — the group found it hard to act like "bad girls" at first.
Rie Hata, who leads the Japanese dance crew Queen Of Swag and boasts BoA, BTS and 2NE1's CL as other artists she's choreographed, reveals just how she's come to help define Red Velvet's new dance style, which member learns the fastest, and the challenges shaping their newest direction.
Her advice for up-and-comers? Take your time to love music and let your passion for dance blossom from there. "Love music more than dance. When you really love music, you can dance more naturally."