For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others.

The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone from a musical genre in South Korea to a global cultural phenomenon.

Boba, from Henderson, has struggled to find a place to belong. As a non-binary queer and disabled person, they were bullied at school. Now, we see them dancing at K-pop events and in a photo booth with friends.

“It just comforts you,” says Ethan, a dancer who grew up in Fiji, Tuvalu, and Sāmoa. The documentary follows him returning to Fiji to teach K-pop techniques. He says that through dance he expresses himself – but not enough Pacific men do so because of stigma. 

Ashley, who is Cook Island Niuean, reignited her love of dance through K-pop and now passes that along as a teacher. She says that expressing yourself within Pacific cultures can sometimes be difficult, but she is taking the positive reinforcement from K-pop into her own culture.

K-POLYS, a one-off documentary, presents intimate portraits of these three Polynesian K-pop fans. Directed by Litia Tuiburelevu and made with the support of NZ On Air.