Pioneering break dancer steps down from dance professor role after student complaints
Published: 14 Dec. 2025, 14:44
![Break dancer and rapper Poppin Hyun Joon [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/14/301f445c-692d-48e6-88df-4e25a834ed00.jpg)
Break dancer and rapper Poppin Hyun Joon [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Break dancer Poppin Hyun Joon, born Nam Hyun-joon, admitted to wrongdoing and said he will step down from his post as a visiting professor of Practical Dance following allegations raised by a student online.
In an Instagram post on Saturday, Poppin Hyun Joon said he was issuing a statement as a professor regarding the recent controversy involving the practical dance department at Baekseok Arts University, adding that he was resigning.
“I sincerely apologize to my students,” he said. “As an educator, I used inappropriate language and behavior that created an overly harsh atmosphere, and I deeply reflect on the fact that, regardless of my intentions, my words caused students to feel sexual discomfort.”
“I want to make it clear once again that I never had any impure intentions,” he added.
Earlier, a post circulated on social media alleging that a professor in the practical dance department at Baekseok Arts University repeatedly used profanity during class, creating an excessively rough and intimidating learning environment.
The author claimed that when some students protested the professor’s teaching methods, he made remarks inappropriate for an educator, including saying, “If you dance like this, you might as well stand in front of a mirror and [expletive],” which the poster said left students feeling deeply humiliated and bewildered.
The post further alleged that classes are at times conducted in an unnecessarily threatening atmosphere, with raised voices, causing fear and pressure and making it difficult for students to concentrate fully on their studies.
Poppin Hyun Joon acknowledged the wrongdoing and stepped down from his professorship just two days after the allegations surfaced. He is widely regarded as pioneer of popping dance techniques in Korea such as ticking, animation, tutting and gliding, and a leading figure representing the country’s break dance and popping dance scene.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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