Five Years Of Dreamcatcher: SuA’s Fearless, Energetic Strides As Dreamcatcher’s “All-Rounder”

K-Pop Special — Five Years Of Dreamcatcher

The K-Pop group’s Main Dancer has utilized a seemingly never-ending motor and confidence to become unforgettable and develop a multitude of skills.

This article is part of a series celebrating five years of K-Pop group Dreamcatcher, and my opinions in these are based on personal observations of their outward-facing appearances over the past five years. Dreamcatcher’s debut anniversary date is January 13th — be sure to congratulate the group on their social media when the date arrives!

In the highly-competitive world of the K-Pop industry, groups jockey for visibility and position on many occasions. Being known and seen leads to more eyes on you and what you have to offer, and more eyes and awareness, if they linger, lead to more sales (and thus sustainability for the group). If you’re a performer in this industry, you literally can’t afford to be invisible, and many companies utilize a number of connections and methods with their regular comebacks to ensure this isn’t the case. But in the end, it comes down to the artists themselves to ensure they’re, in essence, unforgettable.

Dreamcatcher’s Main Dancer SuA has ensured over the past five years that she, and by extension the group, has been anything but forgettable — something doubly important for a group with a non-traditional concept from a smaller company with not as much reach. Whether it’s her distinct laugh, or her creating a big splash on the variety screen or something else, SuA’s presence is likely a big part of why hosts, fans, and others remember Dreamcatcher. Her energy seemingly never ends, and having her volume up to the maximum (and sometimes beyond) means that you’ll always get a moment to see in compilations, something you can see from the very beginning in the above video.

But it isn’t just being loud and having a constantly running motor of energy that makes SuA memorable — it’s the fact that she’s fearless and unafraid to try or do new things. Whether it’s art, learning a new cooking recipe, boxing, rock climbing, or a bevy of other activities, SuA has never shied away from doing or talking about these things publicly. A member with this attitude makes the group stand out as a whole and also has the potential to land new opportunities, many of which SuA has taken advantage of in her individual/subunit appearances on shows like Idol Radio.

But all of this didn’t really bear fruit until the summer of 2021, where she landed a regular radio gig on SBS’s radio show Young Street. This opportunity put her into orbit with equally energetic Red Velvet member Wendy, a networking relationship that has already paid dividends for Dreamcatcher. That’s not even counting her clear specialization in dancing and choreography, both of which have gotten better over the past five years and have garnered quite a bit of attention from fans both new and old. None of this, of course, happens without SuA’s fearless confidence and high-energy mentality. and its led me to believe that out of all the Dreamcatcher members, SuA has truly become the group’s “all-rounder”. In K-Pop, this term refers to a member adaptable to a variety of situations, possessing a ton of different skills, and able to do almost anything — interview, do fun activities for public appearances, talk on radio, and more — with little trouble. SuA checks all these boxes, and more.

As such, here’s five thoughts on why I believe SuA has truly become the group’s “all-rounder” (a term that in K-Pop, refers to a member adaptable to a variety of situations, possessing a ton of different skills, and thus able to do almost anything) and how that’s contributed to Dreamcatcher’s success.

SuA never stops.

When I was thinking about how best to describe the near-infinite amount of energy that SuA brings to performances, off-stage appearances, and, well, pretty much anything that involves appearing in front of a camera, I eventually determined that simple was best. In short, I’m fairly convinced that part of why SuA is able to draw attention to the group is that she just doesn’t stop. By her own admission and by the other members’ impression, she’s not a fan of quiet and always feels the need to bring out a big reaction to fill awkward spaces where it exists, and SuA fans often joke that their ability to hear has been perhaps ever so slightly decreased by the fact that their favorite member has been so constantly high-volume.

[embed]https://www.vlive.tv/video/180041[/embed]

The net result of all this is the fact that regardless of when or how Dreamcatcher appears on a show or a video channel or on vLive, you can always guarantee that if SuA is there, she’s going to create something fun and memorable for the group, and that you likely won’t get something “standard” in terms of responses for at least part of the broadcast. One of my favorite vLives to this day is 2020’s “White Day” live stream, where Dreamcatcher was tasked with celebrating the holiday with some fan chats and fun treats. Things seemed normal until SuA went to make dalgona, a Korean candy made with melted sugar and baking soda that requires a bit of quick attention on the stove, and all kinds of chaos erupted, mostly due to SuA’s last minute (and hilarious) work to increase the volume of what was being made. For me, it became one of my favorite Dreamcatcher moments and one of the few that got me laughing so hard I was crying. Honestly, that’s probably SuA’s intention in being so continuously loud and boisterous — an immediate memory that you can think back on as a fan, and one that you can pass onto others who might be curious about them — both of which have their own benefits.

As such, there’s no shortage of fun SuA moments over the past five years of Dreamcatcher, filled with her unique way of laughing, explosive reactions, and constant action. It’s just a part of her (and thus the group’s) appeal, and perhaps a big part of why she’s landed a regular radio job in 2021.

SuA has used her role as Main Dancer to highlight a variety of expressive personality traits that have been memorable to fans and new viewers.

Dance is by definition expressive in nature, and has been used to convey many an emotion or thought in its movements. This is especially true in K-Pop, as the structured movement and choreography helps further communicate the music that’s being sung at the same time by its artists.

Main dancers in a K-Pop group are especially good at this sort of expression, and SuA is no exception to the rule. Her way of moving and dancing has long been a way for her to show other ways of interpreting the music she’s either covered or helped sing in Dreamcatcher’s rock-based discography, and these sorts of messages have helped build her as a multi-dimensional performer.

It also doesn’t always have to be in a formal production setting and so intense, either, as her 2019 cover of Billie Ellish’s “Copycat” shows. Variety shows have long been a place where SuA has shined in terms of her dance moves, and you can tell she loves expressing the song and her feelings through doing so. Early appearances such as on Fact iN Star have given SuA plenty of opportunities for SuA to show off her personality through dance, while later appearances on places such as on Weekly Idol and ROLLING have allowed her to show off how important what’s she’s learned through dance expression applies to their performances.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmVwz45MwD0[/embed]

Because SuA has been so integral to showcasing how Dreamcatcher’s dance expresses the emotions and messages conveyed in their non-traditional, rock-based concept, it’s certainly turned heads over the years with regards to why Dreamcatcher has risen as they have in popularity, albeit slowly and gradually. Frequent comments on videos talk about how SuA’s intense dance style exudes a power and presence that meets or sometimes exceeds how loud she is verbally, and that’s given others, whether they be companies or as individuals, reason to see what makes Dreamcatcher’s Main Dancer can offer to them.

SuA’s choreography talent makes Dreamcatcher better, and has led to some of the group’s most iconic routines.

It isn’t just enough for SuA to just be a talented dancer — her dip into the choreography sphere of influence, and its implementation in Dreamcatcher’s covers and songs, has given the group an additional dimension and potential over the past five years. Though these days Performance Director Hwang Sooyeon handles the bulk of Dreamcatcher’s choreography planning, in the early days it was SuA who helped things along with the group’s routines with frequent comments and guidance. Part of the culmination of this development in SuA’s skillset was most certainly 2020’s “Red Sun”, with its hypnotic, haunting choreography crafted mostly by SuA herself. The presence of an original SuA choreography in Dreamcatcher’s official discography and performance history is definitely a feather in SuA’s hat, both personally and professionally, and has resulted in the group having greater exposure overall for putting together such memorable shows.

Whether it’s a routine for one of their songs, or a cover of a familiar classic that is known internationally, Dreamcatcher’s ability to have a talent like SuA be able to choreograph for them has contributed to impressions that they are quite adaptable to a variety of song types. A group that is able to perform in many different ways and be flexible to performance styles is stronger and more appealing in this way, and having a member like SuA who understands the ins and outs of K-Pop/dance choreography is a boon to a company that already has talented artists in Dreamcatcher.

If SuA wanted to, she has a path to behind-the-camera as a choreographer with her growing catalog of planned dance routines for the group and what she’s learning now that the company has had a Performance Director to take some of the burden of planning such choreographies off of her. It’s just another reason to show that SuA, as the group’s all-rounder, has a variety of skills at her disposal, many of which could be applicable to any number of paths in the K-Pop industry.

SuA’s array of professional skills and bright personality help make Dreamcatcher’s individual members better, as she serves as a multi-functional anchor for the group’s opportunity to showcase their appeal.

Successful groups have members that help each other out and raise themselves up by each other’s personal and professional assistance, and Dreamcatcher is no different. The way SuA’s been able to do this is through a combination of professional collaboration opportunities and personal attitude that has helped give other members in Dreamcatcher a way to shine as brightly as SuA does. While JiU does this through a gentle, guiding hand and a leader’s willingness to let who they oversee have their time in the spotlight, SuA’s methods use her own professional talent and her fearless persona to pull other members up alongside her.

Dreamcatcher’s “Taki Taki” and first iteration of “Havana” don’t just let SuA show off her ability to express herself through dance and choreography, but also JiU, Yoohyeon, and Dami as well. Subunit performances, such as SuA and Siyeon’s cover of Taemin’s “Goodbye” and a more recent, unforgettable SNSD subunit cover of “Twinkle” featuring SuA, Handong, and Gahyeon during one of their concerts show that SuA’s talent as a performer and dancer has helped elevate everyone else in Dreamcatcher at one point or another in the last five years or so.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw-md3xpeZk[/embed]

But it isn’t just through professional, serious dance routines that SuA helps serve as a sort of anchor for other members to grab onto and be raised in visibility — she helps on a personal level as well. SuA’s bright, boisterous attitude is infectious, and you can see it in the way that her interactions with other members take form. There’s a reason, for example, that “SuAyeon” is a constant thing, as SuA and Main Vocal Siyeon have frequently combined forces to cause all kinds of fun and comedic moments on a few variety show appearances (2017’s “Pepero Game” moment on Fact iN Star remains one of the best in many fans’ estimation).

[embed]https://www.vlive.tv/video/180041[/embed][embed]https://www.vlive.tv/video/180041[/embed]

Other times, SuA has often used vLives to pull in other members for fun interactions, such as a very recent pre-bedtime broadcast with Sub Vocal/Chinese member Handong and a 2020 vLive filled with food, fun games, and impromptu performances from SuA, JiU, Siyeon, and Gahyeon. The impression I get is that SuA can’t help but draw out some of the best of her fellow Dreamcatcher members, and makes even the most soft-spoken of the group able to express themselves in a manner that turns out to be a net positive for appealing to potential fans. Having that professional and personal anchor in the group, someone who can make the best of any situation through pure confidence and energy, has always been one of SuA’s best traits in Dreamcatcher.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS52dBk_K-Q[/embed]

The care and affection SuA feels towards her fellow Dreamcatcher members is apparent, adding to an already-strong personal bond that helps the group succeed.

SuA having a big and far-ranging personality as she has means that she brings that level of energy to her personal relationships with the members. While oftentimes this results in the target of SuA’s attention being sometimes-overwhelmed by her constant energy on-camera, it also displays a personal connection that SuA feels towards the other members in the group.

Whether it’s having a “Tom and Jerry” relationship with roommate Yoohyeon, being able to encourage youngest member Gahyeon into being as loud as she is for a game where you can’t hear one another, dancing and singing in funny costumes to songs on “Idol Radio” with Siyeon and more, SuA appears to have a kinship with her fellow Dreamcatcher members that is protective and most certainly affectionate towards them. In a group of differing personalities, SuA’s strong affinity for everyone else ensures that the mentality of Dreamcatcher is group-focused, and that no one member outshines the others constantly. It certainly might seem that way at times given how out in front SuA can be, but it’s clear SuA realizes Dreamcatcher succeeds together, and that she loves and respects all her fellow members.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgxY5P4ELuw[/embed]

Recently, SuA uploaded a vlog that highlighted her day when she has to appear on on the radio, and funnily enough, there was very little radio content but quite a bit of home life talk and display. One of the best parts of this vlog was her chatting with Siyeon and Yoohyeon about groceries as she cooked dinner for the group, a role that she and the members say she has performed for them from the beginning. This sort of household-focused task for her fellow members is perhaps one of the best and most recent examples of how SuA cares for her fellow members.

All this goes to show that despite all of the professional and self-focused skills SuA possesses, from dancing to choreography to being a radio host and more, that she finds the personal skills she brings to the table just as if not more important to the group as a whole. The sense is that SuA’s fellow Dreamcatcher members feel very lucky to have someone with as much to offer at home and at work as SuA does, and that SuA herself finds her bond with her fellow members to be as important to her own mental well-being and success. For all the independence that SuA exudes, and for all the “all-rounder” skills she possesses, at the end of the day she too appreciates the professional hard work and personal relationships that being a Dreamcatcher member gives her, and will give her well in the future.

Stay tuned for more Five Years of Dreamcatcher content as we roll toward their 5th anniversary in January — clap, follow, and signal boost this content to your fellow fans so that more people can read about how and why Dreamcatcher remains one of K-Pop’s most interesting and sustainable groups with a great story in the industry!

Want to read the rest of the series? Check out the rest of the members in the Five Years of Dreamcatcher series of articles!