A cheerleading dance trend from 2022, originally popular at baseball games in South Korea, has recently gained unexpected global attention on social media, leaving many puzzled.
Known as the Pikki Pikki dance, it began with the cheerleaders of the KIA Tigers, a South Korean professional baseball team. The dance features a simple motion where participants move their hands up and down with their thumbs up, accompanied by a lively drumbeat and a high-pitched sound. It is performed exclusively when the KIA Tigers’ pitcher strikes out an opposing batter, serving both as a celebration for the team and a playful jab at the opponents.
Must Read: Mount Everest Grows Taller: Researchers Find Surprising Boost
In one of the first videos to go viral, which has since been recreated by K-Pop stars and singer Olivia Rodrigo, cheerleader Lee Joo-eun is seen interrupted while fixing her makeup. Without missing a beat, she stands up, flawlessly performs the routine, and then calmly returns to her seat, her expression unchanged and her hair perfectly intact.
View this post on Instagram
Lee Si-Young, president of Apex Communications, which represents the cheerleading squad, explained the approach behind their routines in an interview with The New York Times. “We emphasise setting moves and outward expressions to match the tone and mood of the music while making it easy for the fans to follow,” he said.
“We felt that it would fit more to have a more casual feel rather than something energetic or powerful.”
The 18-second video was initially posted on YouTube before rapidly going viral on TikTok, amassing tens of millions of views. Intrigued TikTok users began searching for Lee Joo-eun and soon found other cheerleaders from her squad, sparking a wave of fan-made versions that further fueled the trend.
View this post on Instagram
The dance has since gained significant global attention, particularly from the US.
While both the US and South Korea share a passion for baseball, the game-day atmosphere in the two countries couldn’t be more different. In the US, spectators typically remain quiet for long stretches, only cheering for major plays on the field. In contrast, South Korean baseball games are lively from start to finish.
Central to the experience in South Korea is “cheer culture.” Fans arrive decked out in team colors, armed with inflatable sticks, and follow cheerleaders in energetic, personalized chants for their team. Cheerleaders in vibrant outfits keep the crowd engaged with lively routines throughout the game, not just between innings, and sometimes even lead “cheer battles” to heighten the excitement.
View this post on Instagram
“Korean baseball is somewhat like a concert,” Boka Gang, a Doosan fan from Hokkaido in Japan, told ABC News. “I love cheering for my favourite team in this loud and fancy manner that can never be found in my country.”
Some stadiums even permit barbecues for fans who wish to grill, while others offer unique snacks such as stews. Nearly all stadiums allow attendees to bring their own food and beverages, enabling those on a budget to enjoy the experience—this is a notable contrast to the US, where policies differ from one stadium to another.
Although the personalized cheers, dance trends, and specialty foods might appear to be simply enjoyable, they significantly contribute to familiarizing foreign fans with South Korean baseball and the broader local culture.
“It’s interesting to watch such fervent fandoms in sports. We cannot see such a culture elsewhere,” Singapore resident Janabel Lie said.
“It’s a ballpark experience that only South Korea can offer,” Bae Soohyun, 39, a cheerleader for South Korea’s national team, told The New York Times.
Also Read: Pune Auto-Rickshaw Driver Goes Viral For Aggressive Car Attack | Watch