Portland K-pop Dance Club, also known as PD-K, is a group of Franklin High School students that come together to bond over similar interests: Korean popular music (K-pop), learning about Korean culture, and dancing. Portia Hall, Franklin’s former dance teacher, has graciously accepted the position of PD-K’s advisor, where she supervises club meetings, as well as edits the club’s music and takes care of performance details.
PD-K members try to meet every week, either on Wednesdays or Thursdays in the dance room after school. However, depending on their upcoming performances and events, their schedule could soon become more flexible. Some places you might have seen their outstanding performances last year were at Arts Alive, as well as May Fete, an event put on by the Associated Student Body (ASB). This year, they were excited to perform at the Club Fair, which happened during tutorial on Sept. 15, as well as at the halftime show during the homecoming football game on Sept 30, among other exciting events.
PD-K started off as a small club with only three to four members, but in the past few years it has grown to be more well-known with 15 to 20 participants, and they are always looking to welcome new members!
When you are a part of PD-K, you learn all about Korean culture and come together to honor it, in this case through dancing. This year the club representatives, Tiffany Phan (President) and Karman Tang (Vice President) want to make PD-K a comforting environment where people enjoy their hobbies and passions without being judged. “When I was younger, I [would] sing K-pop and people used to make fun of me for it,” Phan explained. “I want to make K-pop more known to the school and have it [be] more open to everyone.” Phan wants to make sure that people like her have a safe space where they can feel comfortable when expressing their identity through Korean culture.
Tang added, “We want people who enjoy and have an interest in K-pop to feel accepted in the community. There are people out there who either dislike or just really don’t like K-pop.” She continues to explain that by having a club it allows people who have an interest in K-pop and or Korean culture to feel accepted, not judged.
When asked about their favorite part of PD-K and why they joined, both Phan and Tang felt strongly about the community and the connections they have been able to gain through their time in the club. “I get along with [the club members] so well, even if it’s my first time meeting them,” says Tang.
If you want to join PD-K and learn more about Korean culture, as well as have fun with other like minded people, you can sign up by going to their Instagram handle, @fhspdkofficial, or reach out to Tiffany Phan or Karman Tang personally. They hope to see you there!