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Jeff Benjamin
She trained with Blackpink members and was considered a top contender at YG Entertainment, but left after five years, entering reality shows as an independent artist. She debuted with Secret Number in 2019.
Winwin, the popular Chinese star of NCT and WayV, nearly lost out on a stellar K-pop career because of a lack of trust. Here is a look back on his unusual road to success.
As a teenager, Ryujin was a big K-pop fan, and was spotted at a fan concert for Got7. She auditioned and was signed by JYP Entertainment. She appeared on TB and in film, before debuting with Itzy, where she is lead rapper.
Since Jaemin was introduced as the seventh member of NCT Dream, his talent has shone through as both a K-pop star and award-winning actor – but it’s his charity work that he is still the most proud of.
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In a world of styled K-pop idols, Amber Liu stands out for her edgy looks, her tendency to think of other singers as her family – and her work with stars like Girls’ Generation’s Yuri and Super Junior’s Henry Lau.
Born in China, Zhoumi started singing in music competitions, before he signed with K-pop label SM Entertainment. He debuted with all-Chinese subgroup Super Junior-M, and sings and writes in Mandarin and Korean.
He’s bilingual, sang the South Korean theme song for the film Trolls: The Beat Goes On, and was so determined to become a K-pop star he travelled hours to go to an audition with less than a day’s notice.
Born in China, Song was scouted by K-pop giants SM Entertainment, joining f(x) as group leader and main dancer after two years. She branched out into Chinese drama and TV shows, and embarked on a solo musical career.
Before joining NCT Dream, Chenle was already well-known back home in China. As a child he appeared on Chinese TV, and sang in Austria with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. He moved to Seoul in 2016 and soon became a K-pop star.
Senghee hung out with Jimin and V of BTS before they were famous, and was inspired to play guitar by IU. Her powerful voice and endless energy make her a natural K-pop star.
Growing up in China, The8, of boy band Seventeen, studied martial arts, and it was the dedication he showed there that saw him become a K-pop star.
The challenges of K-pop fame almost forced Heechul of Super Junior to give up early in his career, but he persevered and is now one of the industry’s most popular performers.
Despite her open battles with depression and pressure from being the leader of Girls’ Generation, one of K-pop’s most well-known girl groups, Taeyeon remains one of the industry’s most popular idols, thanks to her standout vocals.
Since Seolhyun made her debut with K-pop girl group AOA in 2012, her fame and popularity have grown. Once South Korea’s most searched celebrity on the internet, it’s her charity work that matters most to her.
He made his debut with Exo in 2012 and, as lead vocalist, top visual and group leader, Suho has a reputation for staying level-headed in tough situations.
Jung studied music with his band mates in Japan and was a street performer there, before returning to Seoul and releasing an EP which was an instant hit. CNBlue’s pop rock tunes vie with K-pop releases for chart success.
K-pop star has forged a solo singing career after a stint with Wanna One, while also acting and performing in variety shows, revealing himself to be a man of many talents.
Haechan plays a variety of roles in boy bands NCT and NCT 127. A talented and confident performer, his lovable and witty persona has endeared him to K-pop fans around the world.
South Korean singer Jisoo made her debut on the K-pop scene in 2016 as a member of girl group Blackpink, but her star had been rising for years before. Here’s her story.
The girl group’s main dancer has won praise from fellow K-pop idols for her moves, but (G) I-dle’s Soojin says it took two years to convince her father to let her follow her dreams.
The lead vocalist, main dancer and leader of Monsta X, Shownu is known for his muscular image and physicality, but it’s his strength of character that makes him a natural leader and a favourite of K-pop fans.
Twice member Jeongyeon may be the girl band’s lead vocalist but she has never let fame go to her head. The humble K-pop star, sister of South Korean actress Gong Seung-yeon, always puts family and bandmates first despite her huge popularity.
Despite having a tough childhood, K-pop star Wonho hit the big time with Monsta X, but drug allegations forced him out of the boy band. After his name was cleared, he praised his fans for never losing faith in him.
Once a member of K-pop girl group I.O.I, Chungha is now a superstar who has signed with major US talent agency ICM Partners – but she never imagined she would be successful as a solo singer.
IZ*One, a 12-member Korean-Japanese girl group, is breaking records and seeing its popularity exploding – and one of its breakout stars is Miyawaki Sakura. We look at her rise to fame and why fans like her so much.
Monsta X lead rapper I.M met the group on the Korean talent show that created them. He was a late entry in the competition, but the others grew to love him. He is the voice of the group and is sometimes outspoken.
Before becoming a superstar with girl band Red Velvet, Seulgi endured seven years of training that included moments of self-doubt, but the tough times taught her valuable lessons and gave her confidence in the end.
From trending on Twitter to earning a million YouTube views in 24 hours, K-pop newcomer Yeonjun is already making waves online. With such a promising future, we look at his life and career so far.
Mina, a singer in K-pop girl group Twice, became a JYP Entertainment trainee in 2014 – and her sheer determination to excel in the music industry shows no signs of stopping, in spite of mental health issues forcing her to take a break.
K-pop singer Jay from iKon may look young, but he is the band’s oldest member. He is known for his powerful voice, being openly emotional, and his deep connection with his fellow band members.
