‘There’s more to life than work’: Bangkok’s young people embrace mass outdoor aerobics sessions

Group exercise had been associated with older people, but the playlist of K-pop and US hip-hop is a hit with gen Z

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t’s evening rush hour in central Bangkok, the roads are clogged with traffic and the air is heavy from the heat. But in a corner of the capital’s biggest park, the crowds are already gathering to dance.

As the music starts, an aerobics leader glides across a small stage. A sea of arms move from side to side, then touch the sky. Knees pop up and down. Ankles tap.

The after-work aerobics classes in Lumphini Park once drew a modest crowd of mostly older people, organisers say. Now, they’re a gen Z hit. Students and young adults are flocking to the sessions to join in the fun, and clips are going viral on TikTok and Instagram.