Global Viewers' Votes and the Disciplined Body of Mediated Street Dance

Abstract

This article investigates online voting methods affiliated with the South Korean television show Street Man Fighter. By examining the responses of judges, viewers, and participants, I seek to show the influence of competition, globalization, and online distribution on dancing bodies. Although the show's title emphasizes "street" dance, which is typically associated with unruly and resistive actions, I argue that online viewers' voting behaviors privilege the disciplined body associated with k'algunmu, which describes synchronized dancing and is associated with K-pop dance. Ultimately, I argue that the global online voting system used by Street Man Fighter reveals the nuanced interplay among k'algunmu, street dance, and neoliberal ideologies.1