KoKo Pops’ 2025 show “APOCALYPSE,” which ran from Feb. 20–22, was a fierce contrast to last year’s production, “KOKODEMIA.” While “KOKODEMIA” brought us to the classroom, “APOCALYPSE” turned our worlds into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. As Princeton’s only K-pop dance group, KoKo Pops has produced a total of seven shows with creative themes since their founding in 2017, and “APOCALYPSE” might be their most eccentric yet.
The show began with pitch blackness, broken by flickers of red and blue light which revealed three groups of dancers huddled together and facing away from the audience. They eerily swayed in unison, throwing their heads backward, stretching their arms forward, and erupting in sharp movements to the song “BORN TO BE” by ITZY. The choreography for this opening piece set the scene for zombies roaming a post-apocalyptic world, and flowed seamlessly into the next piece, “I&credible” by I-LAND.
One dancer summoned two others dressed in white and five dressed in black, appearing ready to fight. As elaborate choreography and group formations unfolded, the lighting shifted between vivid colors. The piece ended with two dancers in white standing as victors, the dancers in black with their heads lowered and kneeled down in defeat.
“Supernova” by aespa was a particularly bold and enjoyable piece, where pink lights complemented the dancers’ hot pink mini skirts, metallic tops, and knee-high boots. Another number featured an intense song choice, “Danger” by BTS, which complemented the vibrancy of the costumes and set, which included color-changing KoKo Pops lightsticks and created an immersive concert experience.
“En Garde” by BOYS PLANET stood out for its all-black outfits and synchronized movements, while “Fatal Trouble” by ENHYPEN was notable for its intricate arm movements. The show concluded with a piece performed by KoKo Pops seniors, followed by a surprise video made by the rest of the company.
Diana Kim ’26, the publicity chair of the company, told The Daily Princetonian, “This year the show is especially special for me because I was working very closely with the plot design team to make the pub[licity] happen.”
“APOCALYPSE” not only seamlessly combined lighting, movement, sound, and costumes, but also paid close attention to the show's structure.
Anlin Kopf ’25, the president of KoKo Pops, outlined that the company focused on “alternating guy and girl group songs, reducing quick changes, separating similar styles, making sure one dancer doesn’t have a lot of dances in a row.”
Stephanie Oh ’26, who led a piece for the first time, emphasized attention to detail. “I wanted a very moody, angsty vibe. I wanted the lighting to be dramatic and the clothes to look very dystopian,” she said. “It took a lot more time than I thought but it’s really exciting to see my vision come together.”
Kopf added, “We learned a lot about all the things that are necessary to make a production run smoothly.”
Irene Kim is a contributing writer for The Prospect and a member of the Class of 2028. She can be reached at ik7641@princeton.edu.
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