Portrait of Luna.
© Luna
Dance

Find out how sensational locker Luna pushes her skill to new heights

Read up on the background of Seoul-based locking phenomenon Luna, as we caught up with her in the middle of the Red Bull Dance Your Style Challenge on TikTok.
Written by Tracy Kawalik
4 min readPublished on
Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Luna first began taking dance classes when she was 15, but her passion for the art form and attraction to the culture began long before that first lesson.
“My first dance steps happened when I was a baby" she says. "I haven't thought about it before now, but I just loved dancing, so I kept dancing and eventually I became a dancer. It was totally innate."
Her trajectory, from dancing at home and in the studio to tearing apart opponents in battle as one of the top lockers on the scene, is hugely impressive. But don't take our word for it, check out the clips on her TikTok channel to see for yourself.
Her stage name comes from a combination of her real name, Yuna, and the name she performed under when first starting out, which was UNA. It wasn't until her focus shifted to locking that she added the L and became Luna.
Even though Luna is now recognised as one of the world’s best lockers, her journey to the top hasn't been straightforward. Many people questioned her style and her approach when she was starting out, as she explains. “I kept hearing that what I was doing wasn't right. It was the hardest thing for me at that time, but in the end, that made me strong."
It also inspired Luna to explore what she liked on a deeper level and to dive into what made her so unique. She adds: "I kept practising and kept pushing. It was a constant challenge to be more and more inspired. What's helped me evolve the most as a dancer/locker is that I've always kept learning.”
The main message I want to convey with my dance is love
All of this practice began to pay off and still to this very day, one of Luna’s most precious memories is winning a locking competition in Taiwan back in 2013. “One of the most important memories I have of a big battle was when I was first invited as an overseas guest. It was for a battle called OBS (Ocean Battle Session) and I won the locking competition. For me, it’s such an amazing memory.”
On the back of that 2013 battle and a stack of other titles, Luna became part of the locking team COSMIC D-FLO as well as all styles women's team SI.NA.G (Synergy).
Despite focusing on locking and enjoying a great deal of success with her crews, Luna reveals that her greatest source of artistic inspiration and creativity comes from listening to different genres of music and watching the varied movement of street dancers.
When pressed to describe the street dance scene in South Korea and what makes it different from the rest of the world, she simply says that it's on another dimension. And her own style is no different.
If you are lucky enough to catch Luna performing or in a battle, you'll immediately notice that she's not only insanely powerful, but also a playful and dynamic dancer. Yet, off the floor, she admits that she's actually really shy.
Despite her shy nature, Luna has managed to rise to the top. And she hopes that her journey can act as inspiration for others who only dream of making a career in the world of dance. She says: "The main message I want to convey with my dance is love. And the message to just do it as dreams come true. Even if I wasn't a dancer, I would still be a star.”
Never stop believing in yourself, never stop evolving and never stop fighting for your passion
Luna also has some advice when it comes to winning battles, adding: “The most important skill for me when I'm battling is to believe in myself and believe in the music."
Now, as she gears up for Red Bull Dance Your Style, Luna cannot hide her excitement. And while she believes it may present her greatest challenge, she’s “up for the battle”.
As a dancer, Luna is in high demand, not only in South Korea, but across the globe. But despite her growing fame she remains grounded and dedicated to evolving her craft as well as pushing her career to new heights.
As she continually strives to improve, Luna also has a message of encouragement for the next generation of young dancers, saying: "If you ask me what it takes to be successful? Or if I had to give a piece of advice to dancers stepping into the scene now, I would say, to remember that success is not given for free. You have to be able to do anything for your goals. Never stop believing in yourself, never stop evolving and never stop fighting for your passion."

Part of this story

Red Bull Dance Your Style

Red Bull Dance Your Style is an international mixed-style dance competition. The twist? The crowd decides who wins by voting for their favourite dancers.

14 Tour Stops

Luna

A sensational locking dancer from South Korea.

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