Is Choi San the Best Dancer?
Introduction
The claim that "Choi San is the best dancer" has circulated among fans and critics of K-pop, particularly in relation to his performances with the boy band ATEEZ. This assertion is subjective and reflects personal opinions rather than an objective measure of dance ability. To explore this claim, we will examine available evidence regarding San's dancing skills, the context of his performances, and the opinions of various sources.
What We Know
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Background on ATEEZ and Choi San: ATEEZ is a South Korean boy band formed in 2018 under KQ Entertainment, consisting of eight members, including Choi San, who serves as the lead vocalist and main dancer 1. San has gained recognition for his performance skills, particularly given that he reportedly had no formal dance training prior to joining the group 35.
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Performance Skills: Various articles highlight San's evolution as a dancer. For instance, a piece from Koreaboo discusses how San's charisma and stage presence have garnered attention, even among other talented dancers in ATEEZ 6. Another source notes that he has been recognized by his peers as a main dancer within the group 5.
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Public Reception: Fans often express their admiration for San's dancing through social media and fan compilations, showcasing his best moments on stage 9. However, these compilations are inherently subjective and may reflect bias, as they are curated by fans who already favor San.
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Comparative Analysis: While some sources claim San is among the best dancers in ATEEZ, they often do not provide a comparative analysis with other members or dancers in the K-pop industry. This lack of objective metrics makes it difficult to substantiate the claim that he is the "best" dancer 46.
Analysis
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Source Reliability: The sources cited range from fan-driven websites to more established platforms like Wikipedia. While Wikipedia provides a general overview of ATEEZ, it lacks specific citations for claims about San's dancing abilities. Fan sites like "Everything CHOI SAN" are likely to present a biased view, as they are dedicated to promoting San and may not critically evaluate his skills against industry standards 14.
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Subjectivity of Dance: Dance ability is often subjective, influenced by personal taste and cultural context. While many fans may perceive San as the best dancer, this is not universally agreed upon and lacks empirical measurement. Professional dance critiques or competitions could provide a more objective assessment, but such evaluations are not present in the available sources.
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Potential Bias: Articles that celebrate San's skills often come from platforms that cater to K-pop fandoms, which may lead to a confirmation bias where only positive attributes are emphasized. The absence of critical analysis or dissenting opinions in these sources raises questions about their objectivity 36.
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Need for More Evidence: To better evaluate the claim, it would be beneficial to have professional critiques from dance experts or comparisons with other dancers in the K-pop industry. Additionally, quantitative measures, such as audience polls or rankings from dance competitions, could provide a clearer picture of where San stands relative to his peers.
Conclusion
Verdict: Misleading
The assertion that "Choi San is the best dancer" is misleading due to its subjective nature and the lack of objective evidence to support it. While San is recognized for his performance skills and has a dedicated fanbase that appreciates his dancing, the claim does not hold up under scrutiny when considering the absence of comparative analysis with other dancers in ATEEZ or the broader K-pop industry. The sources reviewed primarily reflect fan opinions and lack critical evaluations from dance experts, which limits their reliability.
Moreover, the subjective nature of dance means that personal preferences heavily influence perceptions of skill. Without empirical measures or professional critiques, it is difficult to definitively label any dancer as the "best."
Readers should approach such claims with skepticism and consider the context and biases inherent in the sources. It is essential to critically evaluate information and seek out diverse perspectives before forming conclusions.
Sources
- Ateez. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ateez)
- Ailsa Chang. (https://www.npr.org/people/186026737/ailsa-chang)
- 15 Times ATEEZ's San Proved You Don't Need A Dance … (https://www.koreaboo.com/lists/15-times-ateezs-san-proved-dont-need-dance-background-amazing-performer/)
- Everything CHOI SAN. (https://everythingchoisan.wordpress.com/)
- Dancing Skills/Analysis – Everything CHOI SAN. (https://everythingchoisan.wordpress.com/2024/11/09/dancing-skills-analysis/)
- 15 Times That ATEEZ's San Proved That He Belongs In … (https://www.koreaboo.com/lists/ateez-san-times-proved-belongs-group-dance-line/)
- SAN (ATEEZ) Profile (Updated!) - Kpop Profiles. (https://kprofiles.com/san-ateez-profile/)
- San (ATEEZ) profile, age & facts (2025 updated). (https://kpopping.com/profiles/idol/San)
- ATEEZ | The best performance moments of Choi San - YouTube. (http:///videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=Choi+San+best+dancer+claim+verification&pq=Choi+San+best+dancer+claim+verification&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dChoi%2bSan%2bbest%2bdancer%2bclaim%2bverification%26pq%3dChoi%2bSan%2bbest%2bdancer%2bclaim%2bverification&mmscn=vwrc&mid=692B4FE1F23516113A78692B4FE1F23516113A78&FORM=WRVORC&ntb=1&msockid=7b26e119319b11f0b08054c88dd910a5)