On Lunar New Year, February 10, there was a line around the block of the Hammer Museum. The reason was the opening of Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s–1970s with a special performance by Korean hip-hop group Dynamicduo and dance crew featured on Street Woman Fighter, PROWDMON. The performance presented by CJ ENM had the crowd moving, dancing, singing, and filming to the music. 

The legendary Korean hip-hop group Dynamicduo, made of rappers Gaeko and Choiza who we interviewed recently, are Korea’s most well-known and prolific hip-hop duo. With almost two decades under their belt, they have no intention of slowing down. Dance crew PROWDMON, led by Monika and featuring three more members from the crew including Lip J, Minz, and Kayday, opened the performance portion of the event and later joined the duo onstage. The night was an exciting blend of Korean culture. Mixing the music and the visuals in the galleries, those fortunate to be there got an infusion of contemporary Korean fine and performance art at its best.

The exhibit itself is the first North American exhibition to explore the work of a generation of artists who gained prominence following the Korean War (1950-1953). The exhibit, which traveled from New York’s Guggenheim Museum, is on display at the Hammer Museum through May 12, 2024. Dedicated to Korean Experimental art (silheom misul), the work shows the artists’ radical methodology resulting in avant-garde works of significance. 

Featuring over 80 works across mediums, the exhibit shows Korean artists pushed beyond their local traditional practices creating works which reflect their struggles. Through visual media, the messages need no translation. 

Interestingly the evening itself contrasted the silent voices within the art with the louder voices of Dynamicduo. Rapping and singing to a song like “Smoke,” a song with a message about displaying dominance, resilience, and the spirit to overcome challenges, seemed a fitting parallel to the sentiments of the exhibit. The desire to have a voice, to project that voice, and to push that voice against a force, whether inner or societal, became a striking underlying message that night.

PROWDMON started the performance portion with one of their popular routines from the show that projected their status. With CL’s “Doctor Pepper” and “HELLO B+TCHES,” the ladies showed their skills on the stage. With only four members of their crew, they still managed to fill the stage with their sharp moves and had the floor cheering for them. Continuing with the feminine energy, a dance medley of favorite K-Pop songs included aespa’s “Next Level,” NewJeans’s “OMG,” and LE SSERAFIM’s “Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard’s wife,” the crew had the crowd hopping. Finishing with their “RUN RUN” performance, it was soon time for the highlight of the night. 

Dynamicduo’s Gaeko and Choiza owned the stage as they walked out. This crowd was well aware of who they were seeing that night. Playing hits such as “AEAO” and “Go Back,” they had everyone pumping their fists to the music. Spitting lines effortlessly, they demonstrated that they were masters of their craft. Asking if there were any older fans, who might know their early material, they jumped into “Ring My Bell” from their debut album. From the voices that sang along with them, it was clear that the museum was filled with many veteran fans.

The final song of the night was “Smoke,” as expected. The song became viral with the “Smoke Challenge,” a dance choreographed by Bada Lee that became a measure of dance prowess. Gaeko and Choiza told The Kraze in our interview that they themselves lacked the dance skills to dance it, but with vocals and their performance and rap skills, it was apparent that at least for this duo, dancing wasn’t a necessary skill to get a crowd to hang on their every syllable.

As the crowd yelled “encore,” it was apparent that nobody was ready for the night to end, least of all those on stage. Though it seemed unplanned, they mentioned how long they had flown for the short event and were more than willing to add on another song. “Fireworks” became the true last song of the night. Asking everyone to turn on their phone lights, the floor lit up as everyone sang along.

Though the performance may have concluded, the galleries were still open to those who wanted to explore more. With much art to be seen, the night was truly dynamic.

Thank you to the Hammer Museum. For those who want to learn more about the exhibit, there are more events related to the exhibit you can check out here.