NU’EST leader JR – 5 things to know about the K-pop boy band’s main rapper, dancer and face of the group
Born Kim Jong-hyun, Junior Royal’s other nicknames include ‘nation’s leader’ and Wartortle – after the Pokémon character – and he’s not afraid to act all aegyo (cute) or describe a kiss on live TV
Not to be confused with the late Shinee lead singer of the same birth name, this Kim Jong-hyun is renowned for his stage presence, beautiful lyrics and rap writing, and sharp dancing. Better known as JR – short for Junior Royal – he holds most of the important roles in K-pop quintet NU’EST: main rapper, main dancer, vocalist, face of the group, and, oh, leader.
One of two Geminis in the group, JR celebrates his 25th birthday (or 26th in Korean tradition) on June 8 – here are five things you should know about the Gangneung-born talent.
He is an avid gamer
One of JR’s hobbies is playing video games, which he finds relaxing after a hectic day of practice and song recording. His band mates say JR doesn’t leave his room often during downtime, passing the days with just his favourite games for company.
He is the ‘nation’s leader’
His exemplary leadership during the band’s appearance on Mnet’s boy group survival reality show Produce 101 earned JR the title of “nation’s leader”. JR always made sure he did his best to fix any issues his band mates were having and helped them achieve their goals. He goes by the saying, “A leader is someone who pulls his members from the front, while a king is someone who sends orders from behind”, which strengthens his skills and qualities as a leader.
He has embraced becoming Wartortle