MDC is a Kiwi K-Pop crew that dreamed of performing on the world stage, and this year it came true.
22-year-old Bryce Saavedra said he had auditioned three times previously when talent agents held auditions.
“It’s very nerve wracking. People are practising for months on end. You’re there in the audition room, people are just twiddling their thumbs like am I gonna make it you know?”
So when Bryce and the other four members of the Auckland based MDC made the global cut to perform at the annual K-Pop World Festival in the city of Changwon in South Korea, they could hardly believe it.
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MDC on the K-Pop World Festival stage Photo: Supplied
After submitting a dance demo to attend, MDC won a national competition of dance crews held in Wellington before getting the official invite to take part.
“Every single first place and second place video was sent from every single national competition around the world, in which there are 90 plus countries. 13 teams from around the world were selected, and we were one of them," said Emma Weber.
Virginia Moresi explained the concept behind their name.
“It stands for Memes Dance Crew,” she says. “So a meme is what? An inside joke.”
The joke is that they all met as regular people with zero dancing experience and this year they got to perform in Korea.
The group first formed when the five members met at Auckland University of Technology a few years ago and discovered a mutual love of the genre.
“We just all liked K-Pop, and then we all joined together and started dancing as a group. So that’s the meme.”
MDC is a diverse cast too. Their parents came to Aotearoa New Zealand from The Philippines, Thailand, China, England and Germany - and in Virginia’s case, from the islands.
“When my parents came from Samoa, they came from a very poor family.
Coming to New Zealand we were taught to work hard to travel but in our instance we’re travelling for free,” she said.
“This is a huge deal, as in, our passion for K-Pop has had a reward and that’s something I’m especially excited and grateful for.”
The last time a Kiwi team got selected for this global K-Pop event was back in 2013.
MDC backstage at Changwon (l-r) Erin, Virginia, Emma, Selina and Bryce. Photo: Supplied
The groups performed to crowds of between 25,000 and 30,000 people and the Korean word 'Hallyu' translates to mean Korean Wave. It is this word that is often used to describe the genre's global phenomenon and rise.
In October, MDC packed their bags and spent two weeks abroad travelling to Seoul, Suwon and then down to Changwon where the K-Pop World Festival took place.
Their days were taken up with dance training, rehearsal and being filmed for an upcoming documentary about the festival and being interviewed for KBS - South Korea's National broadcaster.
"There are so many lights on you, and cameras really close to you. It kind of blurs the entire audience," said Emma.
MDC performed to a crowd of about 30,000 people, including some of their K-Pop idols - including a group called Tomorrow By Together.
"We basically screamed for an entire minute," said Emma.
Although MDC got to perform on stage and introduced some Kiwi swag to the judges, unfortunately they didn't come anywhere. The winner was a one man team from Ireland called Bias.
Once a team has performed at Changwon, they can't compete there for another four years.
And what is next for MDC? Emma replies quickly with two words. "A break."
2019 marked the ninth time of the event which is organised by South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that continues to feature a number of Korean pop idols and attract adoring fans - even in little old New Zealand.
"Like MDC going to Korea right now is major," says local K-Pop choreographer Rina Chae.
"Each has their own vibe or character and even within the group each person carries their own swag or mannerism that makes each group special."
The K-Pop workshops and dance classes Rina teaches attracts more people than she expected.
For example, a K-Pop dance party held earlier this year at Auckland's Town Hall attracted hundreds of fans.
"Yeah it took me by surprise," said Rina, as the interest in K-Pop in Aotearoa New Zealand continues to grow.
K-Pop choreographer, Rina Chae Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
