Author: Paula

EXO’s discography is one of the largest and most diverse in K-pop today. In the last 10 years, the group has released seven studio albums (six Korean and one Japanese), five repackaged albums, seven extended plays (EPs), and four live albums. The group’s subunits, EXO-CBX and EXO-SC, have also released their own full albums and EPs. 

Adding to the group’s already rich collection of music are each of the members’ solos. All of the members have at least one solo single, and some have also sung in K-drama official soundtracks (OSTs). Fans and casual listeners will have hours upon hours’ worth of music to listen to from one of the top 3rd generation K-pop groups.   

While we all wait for EXO to make a full group comeback, here are some of the members’ amazing solo releases to keep in rotation. 

Hurdle – Suho

Hurdle is the second single off leader Suho’s sophomore album Grey Suit. Suho’s solo work so far has shown off his preference for the rock genre. While his album’s title track (also called Grey Suit) was more of a soft, rock ballad, Hurdle went off in a completely different direction. Suho has fully unleashed his inner rock star with Hurdle’s edgy, newtro-vibe style! 

In the song, Suho trills about feeling stuck and wanting to jump love’s hurdles, as he tries to navigate the uncertainties in a new (?) relationship. The verses build up to an anthemic chorus and an energetic climax that, overall, makes the song more fun and memorable. In contrast, the music video depicts Suho as trapped in a 9-to-5 office job. His “hurdles” here were trying to fit in at the workplace and dealing with a difficult boss. In the end, it seems Suho was able to leap over the obstacles he’s faced and was now able to join in on the office party. 

As you listen to the song, you can’t help but bob your head to the funky beat. Its upbeat tempo makes it a great addition to a road trip playlist. 

Peaches – Kai

Kai has got the mix of innocent and seductive down to an exact science. After giving fans hot and sexy Kai in Mmmh</u?, EXO’s main dancer did a complete 180 and served up sweet and mellow Kai in Peaches. 

The melody, which features a sampling of traditional Korean instruments, is soft, smooth and laid-back. Kai’s soft vocals in Peaches prove to be easy on the ears. His tone is light, airy, and “pretty.” It’s a nice song to listen to on a relaxed afternoon indoors. The track’s flavor changes, though, when you see the lyrics; it’s where you realize that the singer expertly treads the line between sweet and sensual. Kai opens the song crooning, Pretty girl you’re like peaches, and then singing Feels good to be the bad guy just seconds later. 

However, it is in the music video where Kai shines the most. Set against a fairy tale-like forest filled with peach trees, which later transition into what seems to be a palace, Kai entices viewers with his performance. He switches from endearing to flirtatious by alternating sharp and soft movements in choreography, and through his interactions with his back dancers. His outfits, which are modern interpretations of the hanbok, only add to the overall pretty aesthetic of this sophomore outing. 

Rose – D.O. 

D.O. is now a successful drama and movie actor, which sometimes makes it easy to forget his idol roots. But in his first mini-album Empathy (released in 2021), he reminds everyone that he’s also a really talented singer. 

His rich vocals on an acoustic guitar melody in Rose is a pleasure to listen to. In an interview on Soompi, D.O. admits that he liked the sound of the acoustic guitar. It’s the sound he felt “comfortable” listening to, and felt strongly enough to incorporate in his first solo mini-album. This type of music is a departure from the powerful runs and energetic adlibs he showcases on EXO’s tracks, but hearing his sweet, soft side in Rose proves to be refreshing. 

The song itself is simple, which allows listeners to immerse themselves fully in D.O.’s voice. The lyrics depict the pure joy that comes with feeling in love, and how the singer appreciates his lover—such as when he confesses, You’re prettier than a rose. The melody is light and feel-good; it gives off a cheerful vibe perfect for casual strolls in a park. It can also bring comfort to listeners who want to wind down and chill at the end of a long day.

In the music video, D.O. mirrors the lyrics as he sings about his lover while he rides his bike around town, oblivious to the disasters that he successfully—and miraculously—dodges. Throughout the music video, he portrays how being in love automatically puts him in a great mood, and even gives him good luck. 

Bambi – Baekhyun 

Baekhyun made sure to give EXO-Ls something to put on repeat while he’s fulfilling his mandatory military service as a public service officer. The genius idol dropped Bambi, which is the title track of his third mini-album of the same name, just before he enlisted back in 2021. 

The idol trades his cheeky and goofy persona for something smooth and sultry in this R&B song. Here, Baekhyun expresses his adoration for “Bambi,” and compares time spent with her as a fairytale that he doesn’t want to end.  

In the press conference for the mini album, the idol has mentioned that his latest release represented his transition from a boy to a young adult. With this, he hoped to portray his maturity in his music as he steps into his 30s. 

The accompanying music video is very film noir-like, which adds to the sensual appeal of the song. Clad in a smart black suit and a fedora hat, a mysterious Baekhyun takes viewers on a train journey in the middle of the night in pouring rain. The image clearly illustrated the other meaning of “Bambi” in the song, one that used Korean wordplay—밤 (bam) means “night,” while 비(bi) means “rain.” 

Baekhyun was discharged from service on February 5, 2023. So we can expect more music from him (and EXO) soon! 

Last Scene – Chen 

Chen has released tons of heart-rending ballads, such as Beautiful Goodbye and Hello. After an almost three-year hiatus following his enlistment, marriage to a non-celebrity, and fatherhood, the singer resumes his solo promotions.   

For the lead single in his third mini album Last Scene, EXO’s main vocalist sings about the dying days of a relationship. In this track, Chen’s voice sounds fuller, and his tone deeper and more mature. Chen effectively voices out the longing and despair of someone who’s having a hard time letting go after a breakup. The lyrics only make the feeling of heartbreak more tangible, especially in the following lines: I used to believe in forever / All fade away / Only longing remains. 

This song—and the accompanying K-drama-like music video—serves up all the feels. Chen isn’t actually in the music video; the story between former lovers takes center stage instead. The music video opens with actor Park Hae Soo (Squid Game, Money Heist: Korea) sitting in a car, looking despondent. Between shots of the actor driving are scenes of a woman walking at a beach, looking just as sad. Soon, Park Hae Soo arrives at the same place—perhaps hoping to see the woman once more?—but all he sees is an empty stretch of beach.  

Tomorrow – Chanyeol 

Just before Chanyeol enlisted back in 2021, he gifted fans with the SM Station single Tomorrow. In a refreshing departure from his main rapper role, Chanyeol showcases his warm and deep vocals as he sings about his honest feelings from anxiousness to hope. 

There is something about pre-enlistment singles that makes an idol’s music release all the more beautiful. The song is pretty calming; it’s a great track to listen to while winding down after a long day. The production is simple and raw; only an electric guitar accompanies Chanyeol’s soft vocals for this song. 

The music video is equally minimalistic. Chanyeol, in a simple gray hoodie, goes around an empty city on foot in the middle of the night. He seems to be looking for something, and at the end of the video, he looks off into the distance, perhaps finally finding what he was searching for. 

Chanyeol was officially discharged from active service in September 2022.  

Jiu – Lay

EXO’s only Chinese member, Lay, has carved a successful career for himself in his home country. As a solo artist, Lay brilliantly incorporates Chinese culture in his music and music videos. He has mixed the traditional and contemporary, as well as history and folklore, in his epic MV for Lit. He also perfectly incorporated elements of East and West in his MV for Veil, his most recent release. 

In the sweet and sentimental Jiu, however, Lay reminds us that EXO is nine—that he is, and will always be, a part of the group. Lay released this special track on April 8, 2022, which is EXO’s 10th debut anniversary. The song starts off with snippets of random conversations Lay has had with each of his bandmates, which show off their affection for one another. 

In the first verse, Lay has written in each of the members’ superpowers in the group’s concept/storyline. As the song progresses, Lay continues to sing about being thankful to his members, who he’s been with for the last decade. He has also expressed his faith that EXO will stay together for a long time. 

This song clearly shows that Lay maintains a strong bond with his brothers, despite not being able to join every comeback since 2017. With this song release (and Lay’s more recent trips to South Korea), all of EXO-L‘s hearts are filled with hope for a full OT9 comeback soon. 

On Me – Sehun 

EXO’s maknae lives it up in his solo song On Me, from EXO-SC’s 1 Billion Views album. 

On Me is Sehun’s first official solo track. It leans heavily on hip-hop, which, when partnered with Sehun’s husky low tone, gives off a depth, energy, and intensity that makes it even more appealing. Sehun also co-wrote the lyrics, which talk about working hard and living your best life. It’s the perfect song to hype you up, and would be a great addition to your workout playlist. 

The music video is heavy on choreography—very fitting, as the maknae is part of EXO’s dance line—and showcases Sehun’s sharp lines and flawless dance moves. There’s even a cameo of his adorable pup, Vivi! 

The only bad thing about the music video version is that it’s too short—it didn’t even hit the 2-minute mark. The full audio version clocks in at almost three minutes. This song gives fans a taste of Sehun as a solo artist, and it just raises anticipation for more solo work in the future! 

Brand New – Xiumin 

EXO’s oldest hyung is the latest member to go solo. Brand New is the lead single off his debut album of the same name. Here, Xiumin shows everyone his “new self.” With lyrics that go, Feelin’ reborn into these brand new days / Start a fresh take without any cliché / A new me feeling different even to myself, the song describes how every day is a new start. It is also just like opening a gift to find a nice surprise. 

The song is a catchy and energetic dance track with a dash of the ‘90s sound. As one of EXO’s lead vocals, Xiumin’s voice shines in this song. But what might come as a surprise to many is the idol’s vocal range. Xiumin is EXO’s hidden high note belter, and he shows off his perfect high notes especially in the bridge. 

In the press conference for his album release, Xiumin described his solo debut as a “gift” he wanted to give to the fans who have waited for him while he served his country. The concept is clearly shown in the bright and colorful music video, where the idol is both the person who delivers the gift and is the gift himself. 

It is impressive that all the EXO members have added their own songs to the group’s rich discography, and listening to their solo work further drives up anticipation for the next group comeback—which looks to be happening soon! On new year’s day, leader Suho revealed on an Instagram post that EXO will be making their much-anticipated comeback this year. 

Which one among the members’ solo songs is your favorite? Also, are you excited for EXO’s comeback this year? 

Featured Image: Still of Chen from “Last Scene” from EXO Official Twitter.

Sharp choreography, stunning outfits, and unreal visuals certainly help in making K-pop music videos rack up the views. But there are music videos that go the next level by adding a compelling story. Here, we list down several K-pop music videos with storylines that could be the next cinematic blockbuster.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, check out these 10 music videos that have elaborate, dramatic storylines that could possibly give Netflix productions a run for their money:  

Thank U – TVXQ Yunho 

U-Know Yunho, one half of the legendary duo TVXQ!, serves up an almost eight-minute cinematic masterpiece in his music video for Thank U. The song is off his second mini-album Noir, and the music video, as the album title suggests, is heavily influenced by noir films. It’s much more graphic and violent than your average K-pop music video; it’s actually tagged as age-restricted on YouTube. 

The music video tells the story of a gang leader—Yunho—who was betrayed by the mob boss and was attacked and left for dead by the boss’ henchmen. Only, he survived, and has now planned on taking down the mob. He recovers, trains, and faces off with his nemeses. In his final face-off with the mob boss, Yunho engages in a game of Russian roulette and comes out victorious.  

This music video really felt like a movie rather than a music video. The opening seconds already gave off a sense of foreboding. Then Yunho was repeatedly stabbed—which was a great shock, since no effort was made to blur out or tone down the color of blood. Plus, the use of enclosed spaces for several of the scenes helps the viewer zoom in on the action. There are dance breaks in between scenes, but instead of those scenes being a distraction, the choreography served as transitions that helped the story move along. 

It’s eight minutes of action, suspense, and revenge. 

One More Day – Sistar 

Topics such as homosexuality and domestic violence are considered taboo in most countries, including South Korea. Not a lot of K-pop artists take on such issues in such a straightforward manner for fear of getting criticized by the general public. So when a K-pop music video that boldly tackles these topics is released, it is bound to draw attention. 

Sistar’s 2016 single, One More Day, went against the grain and released a video that features these taboo topics. This dark, yet compelling story opens with two women dragging a huge suitcase through a dark alley. The video then flashes back to times when the two women’s friendship grows into something more. However, one of the women is also in what seemed to be an abusive relationship with a boyfriend. When the two women run into the boyfriend after a night out together, the boyfriend gets angry and all three get into a scuffle. The boyfriend drags his girlfriend back home, where things escalate further and the women end up killing the boyfriend. 

The next scene then goes back to the two women dragging the suitcase—presumably containing the dead boyfriend—loading it in a car, and then setting the car on fire as they walk away. 

Lies and Haru Haru – Bigbang 

Bigbang’s breakthrough hit Lies, released in 2007, took the dramatic love story to the next level. The drama-inspired music video was popular around that time, and this music video straight-up served all the emotions in four minutes. 

In the opening scene, G-Dragon is seen running away from his pursuers, trying to call a woman using a pay phone, and eventually getting caught by police. As the music video progresses, the woman goes about her routine, but she clearly looks distressed. Meanwhile, the Bigbang members sing, skate, and walk around her as if invisible. It looks a bit strange, having five guys on roller blades skate around a woman walking to her car, but perhaps the members represent her troubled thoughts? 

Later on, it turns out that she accidentally killed her abusive boyfriend and GD (a former lover? A friend who carries a torch for her?) took the fall for her.

Bigbang once again turned up the dramatics in 2008 with their music video for Haru Haru. This time, the music video featured a love triangle involving GD and T.O.P. 

In the opening scene, GD sees T.O.P seemingly trying to get with his girlfriend, and they get into an argument—and a fistfight. In the next scene, T.O.P flaunts the relationship, and GD, clearly heartbroken, goes into depression. 

Then—plot twist—the girlfriend turns out to have a terminal illness. She breaks up with GD, and only pretends to be with T.O.P to spare the former’s feelings. In the end, though, Taeyang calls GD to come to the hospital to see the girlfriend, but by the time GD gets there, it was already too late. 

The acting in the music video was a bit cheesy and over-the-top, but it further amplified all the feels that helped the song become one of the biggest songs of the year in South Korea. It also cemented Bigbang’s status as a top idol group.  

I Need U – BTS 

Since BTS debuted in 2013, the boys have never shied away from tackling social issues in their music. From directly addressing mental illness to expressing their thoughts on the overwhelming pressures and expectations on the youth, the group has always shared powerful messages in their songs. 

This extends to their music video concepts. In 2015’s I Need U, the group portrayed the realities that trouble today’s youth, such as depression, abuse, loneliness, and suicide. There isn’t a single storyline in the video; rather, each of the members tell a specific story through their characters. 

In the video, the members were trying to hold on to the happiness of their lost youth, as they each face a major tragedy in their lives. Lyrically, though, the song is about a breakup; the members sing about trying to hold on to a relationship that has ended. Either way, one can’t help but feel heartbroken to see and hear the boys go through so much hardship in the music video. 

Watch the video below: 

Error – VIXX 

VIXX’s music video for Error tells of a tragic love story between two human-turned-cyborgs. The main character is the group’s visual, Hongbin, a scientist distraught by the death of his girlfriend, portrayed by Youngji of KARA. To forget about his heartbreak, he turns himself into a cyborg, though it seemed that the painful memories still couldn’t be erased.  

Hongbin then works to turn Youngji into a cyborg as well. In his lab, surrounded by the rest of the half-completed VIXX robots, he brings his girlfriend back to life by turning her into a cyborg, and transfers his memories to her. They start to live happily once more, until uniformed men track them down and deem the girlfriend as an illegal humanoid. Rather than lose his love again, Hongbin fights off the men and decides to deconstruct both himself and Youngji. 

VIXX has always impressed audiences with their creative, well-planned concepts. This music video is another example of the boys breaking out of the “idol” mold to fully immerse themselves in their characters. 

Watch the doomed android love story below: 

Mamacita – Super Junior 

Super Junior turned to western inspiration in the music video for 2014’s Mamacita. In the music video, Siwon stars as the town sheriff whose reputation is on the line because the thief, Leeteuk, escaped from prison. The thief then sees a bejeweled crown, and then proceeds to steal it from under Sungmin’s nose.  

What follows next is a series of crazy antics from the rest of the members. While escaping with the loot, the thief bumps into and destroys Kangin, the fruit seller’s precious watermelon. Clueless bounty hunter Donghae asks Eunhyuk and—incredibly—Leeteuk if they’ve seen the thief. 

Leeteuk and blacksmith Shindong, together with gambler Kyuhyun, admire the stolen crown. As they make their way back into town, they come across the bounty hunter, and a fight ensues, and barber Ryeowook almost gets caught in the crossfire. The sheriff continues his search, and eventually, he and the thief cross paths. The thief shoots the sheriff, and the sheriff falls—but is literally saved by his badge from the bullet. Meanwhile, the thief sells the crown to Heechul, the bartender.

The plan was a success—turns out that Leeteuk was in cahoots with Shindong and Heechul. But their scheme was foiled in the end by Kyuhyun, who was actually a double agent. The perps are jailed, the sheriff keeps his reputation intact, the crown is returned to its rightful owner, and the town is peaceful once more. 

Super Junior has got the funny, meme-able music video down to an exact science. Watch the fun and chaotic “drama” version of the music video below:  

One Shot – B.A.P.

The music video begins with all seven members partying it up on a yacht. Then it is revealed that the B.A.P members are part of a gang, who were suddenly attacked at their hangout spot. One of the thugs threw a USB stick, which contained a ransom video. The thugs have Youngjae, and they demand $10million in exchange for his safe return. 

In between some really cool choreography clips, we see the remaining six members plan to get the money by robbing an armored truck so they can rescue their kidnapped bro. Then the boys head to a subway station to meet the kidnappers and hand them the money; however, the thugs kill Youngjae anyway. The B.A.P gang is broken, and in their grief and rage, they start shooting the enemy gang. The gunfight escalates, and everyone dies. 

But! The video suddenly rewinds and instead of a shootout, a SWAT team comes in and surrounds both gangs. It turns out that Youngjae was actually an undercover officer, and betrayed the B.A.P gang. The SWAT team subdues the gangs, and Youngjae walks away. 

At almost seven minutes long, it’s one of the more hardcore story-based K-pop music videos in this list.  Watch the music video below: 

Come Back Home – 2NE1 

The legendary second-gen girl group 2NE1 tread the line between fantasy and reality in their music video for Come Back Home. The video is set in a dystopian society in the far future, where humans have the option to live in a virtual utopia. 

In the music video, Dara is miserable in her relationship, as the man she loves is completely enamored with the virtual paradise, preferring to live in fantasy rather than stay trapped in a lifeless and colorless world. 

Dara, along with CL, Bom, and Minzy, then infiltrate the virtual paradise to wreak havoc in it. The music video ends with the ladies leading a group of warriors, who destroy the machine-powered fantasy world. 

Check out the music video below: 

Love Story – Kyuhyun

Super Junior’s Kyuhyun is no stranger to emotive ballad tracks, and in Love Story, he amps up the sentimentality. The single is the final track of the singer’s Project: Season series, and marks the end of a string of song releases that focused on each of the four seasons. 

The music video tells the story of two people who were once in love and have now drifted apart. In the opening seconds of the video, a woman is in the middle of packing her things. Then, it cuts to a montage of memories—from when the woman and the man first met, to their happy memories together, and their eventual breakup. 

Near the end of the video, the woman is sifting through photos of happier moments with her ex-lover. It is a poignant depiction of the pain and feeling of nostalgia that comes at the end of a relationship.  

Get bombarded with the feels by watching the music video below: 

We’ve also written about K-pop music videos with dark and creepy storylines—which are also worthy additions to this list! What other K-pop music videos do you think have compelling plotlines? 

Idols have spent anywhere from months to years honing their skills in singing, dancing, and acting—so it’s no surprise that they would be great in many other entertainment fields, including theater. Their amazing stage presence not only light up concert venues; they dazzle on musical stages as well! 

Here are 16 (and more!) idols who have found equal success as musical actors: 

Kyuhyun (Super Junior) 

Kyuhyun debuted in 2006 as the maknae and one of the main vocalists of 2nd generation legend Super Junior. He is one of the best active idol vocalists, so it’s no surprise that his voice would also captivate musical fans. 

He made his musical theater debut in 2010 with The Three Musketeers. He was next cast as Frank Abagnale, Jr. in the Korean production of Catch Me If You Can. In 2013, he reprised his roles in re-runs of both musicals. Kyuhyun took on roles in Moon Embracing the Sun, Singin’ in the Rain, The Days, Robin Hood, Werther, and Mozart! from 2014 to 2016, before taking a break to fulfill his mandatory military service. 

Upon completing his military duty, Kyuhyun resumed his musical career with The Man Who Laughs in 2020. He was cast in the main role as Gwynplaine, alternating with EXO’s Suho. In the same year, he reprised his role in Werther. 

In 2021, Kyuhyun starred in the musical Phantom. He recently capped his performances as Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein, where he starred alongside VIXX’s Leo. 

Watch Kyuhyun as he performs one of the songs from the musical in this live clip: 

Ryeowook (Super Junior) 

Just like his fellow SJ member, Ryeowook has been active both as an idol and as a musical actor. He made his musical theater debut in 2011’s Temptation of Wolves. The idol next took on the role of Troy Bolton in the Korean stage adaptation of High School Musical in 2013. Since then, Ryeowook has starred in several more productions—Goddess is Watching, Agatha, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time—before enlisting in the military in 2016. 

Ryeowook jumped right back into his idol and musical actor career after being discharged from the military in 2018. He was cast in Flaming Sonata, Around Thirty, and Mary Shelley. His most recent musical is Fan Letter. 

Leo (VIXX)

VIXX’s soft-spoken main vocalist, Leo, may look shy and reserved, but once the concert lights come on, he transforms into a powerhouse performer. The same happens whenever he’s on the musical stage.

Leo began his musical career in 2014 with the musical adaptation of the K-drama Full House. Since 2016, he has used his real name, Jung Taek Woon, when being credited in stage productions. Leo starred in five more musicals—Mata Hari, Monte Cristo, The Last Kiss, Elisabeth, and Marie Antoinette—all before his military enlistment in 2019. 

In 2021, he took on the dual role of Henri Dupre and Frankenstein’s monster in the musical Frankenstein. The musical completed its run in early 2022. 

Ken (VIXX) 

VIXX’s “cute main vocal” Ken is one of the most active idol musical actors. He made his musical debut in the Korean adaptation of the musical Chess in 2015. Ken continued to show off his powerful vocals when he took on the lead roles in Cinderella, Boys Over Flowers The Musical, Hamlet, Titanic, Iron Mask, Jack the Ripper, Mefisto, Dracula, and Sherlock Holmes The Musical: The Lost Children. 

His amazing talent and stage presence did not go unnoticed. In 2018, Ken won the Male Rookie of the Year award from the 12th Daegu International Musical Festival for his performance in the musical Hamlet. 

Ken took a break from his idol and musical activities when he enlisted in the military in 2020. Upon his discharge, he was immediately cast as Arthur in Xcalibur. He recently wrapped up his performances in March 2022. 

Suho (EXO) 

EXO’s leader is more than just an idol; he’s also a movie and television actor, as well as a musical actor. Suho made his theater debut in the 2015 hologram musical School OZ. He then took on the role of Crown Prince Rudolf in 2017’s The Last Kiss. In 2018, Suho was cast as Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs; he reprised his role in the 2020 run. 

Suho completed his mandatory military service as a public service worker in February 2022. Will we see more of musical actor Suho soon? We sure hope so! 

See Suho’s performance in the press call for The Man Who Laughs: 

Xiumin (EXO)

EXO’s oldest hyung, Xiumin, first got a taste of musical theater when he starred alongside Suho in School OZ. But he hit his stride in musicals when he starred in the army musicals Return: The Promise of That Day and Return in 2019 and 2020. 

Post-military service, Xiumin was cast as Orpheus in the 2021 production of Hadestown. 

But it seems that there really is no shortage of talent in EXO, as there are also other musical actors among the members! D.O was in the same army musical as Xiumin, Chen performed in the Korean adaptation of In the Heights, and Baekhyun starred in Singin’ in the Rain. Finally, Chanyeol led the cast in another army musical, Meissa’s Song!  

Jo Kwon (2AM)  

Singer, actor, and television host Jo Kwon is also a bona fide musical star. He made his theater debut as King Herod in the 2013 run of Jesus Christ Superstar. The following year, he took on a daring role in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. He also starred in Chess, On A Starry Night, and Shinheung Military Academy. 

Jo Kwon’s latest musical appearance was in 2020’s Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. Watch his performance in the musical’s press call: 

Luna (f(x)) 

(f(x))’s Luna debuted as a musical actress in 2011 as Elle Woods in the Korean adaptation of Legally Blonde. She has since starred in several more Korean productions of Coyote Ugly, High School Musical, School OZ, In the Heights, Rebecca, The Last Kiss, Gone With the Wind, and Mamma Mia. 

Luna also won a rookie award for her role in the musical Rebecca at the 12th Daegu International Musical Festival. Her most recent musical was the 2020-2021 run of The Days. She will make her Broadway debut in the new musical KPOP in late 2022. 

Yoseob (Highlight) 

Highlight’s main vocalist Yoseob also shines in musical theater, and has starred in eight productions so far. He debuted in 2011’s Gwanghamun Sonata. Following his first musical, he was casted in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Full House, Zorro, Robin Hood, Cinderella, and Those Days. 

Yoseob’s latest musical is the 2021-2022 run of Something Rotten. 

Seohyun (Girls’ Generation) 

For Girls’ Generation’s maknae Seohyun, a career in musical theater was inevitable. She graduated with a major in theater acting from Dongguk University in 2014, and in that same year, was cast in Moon Embracing the Sun. She went on to star in the stage adaptations of Gone With the Wind and Mamma Mia. 

Seohyun is also active as a film and television actress. Her most recent movies include the Netflix film Love and Leashes and Holy Night: Demon Hunters. She is also set to star in the upcoming KBS drama Jinx’s Lover. 

Seohyun isn’t the only Girls’ Generation member to grace the musical theater stage. Her TTS sub-unit member, Tiffany, is also a musical actress! Tiffany starred in the 2011-2012 run of Fame and the 2021 run of Chicago. Former member Jessica also dabbled in musical theater, starring in the 2009-2010 and 2012-2013 runs of Legally Blonde. 

Junsu (JYJ)

JYJ’s Kim Junsu is another idol and musical powerhouse. Junsu is a much sought after musical actor, who is also nicknamed “the ticket power” because his musical performance dates sell out in minutes. 

He starred in his first musical Mozart! in 2010, and has since reprised his roles in the production’s subsequent runs. He has also starred in multiple runs of Elisabeth, Dracula, Death Note, Dorian Gray, and Xcalibur. 

His outstanding performances also earned him numerous awards in Korea. 

Check out Kim Junsu’s performance in this brief clip from Xcalibur (2021 run): 

Sandeul (B1A4)

B1A4’s main vocalist Sandeul is another accomplished idol musical actor. He made his theater debut in 2012 in Brother Were Brave. Since then, the idol has starred in eight more musicals: The Thousandth Man, All Shook Up, Cinderella, The Three Musketeers, Thirty Something, Iron Mask, Sherlock Holmes: The Missing Children, and 1976 Harlan County. 

Sunggyu (Infinite)  

Infinite’s leader and main vocalist Sunggyu made his musical debut in Gwanghamun Sonata in 2012. His succeeding musicals include Vampire, In the Heights, All Shook Up, Amadeus, and Kinky Boots. 

Sunggyu also starred in two army musicals: Shinheung Military School and Return: The Promise of the Day. He continues to be active as a musical actor until the present. His most recent production was the 2022 run of Xcalibur. 

Changsub (BTOB) 

BTOB’s lead singer Changsub began his musical career in 2017 in the musical adaptation of Boys Over Flowers. Changsub also starred in Napoleon, Edgar Allan Poe, and Dogfight. 2018’s Iron Mask marked his final musical appearance before military enlistment. 

In 2021, Changsub starred in three musicals: The Last Empress, Marie Antoinette, and Darwin Young’s Origin of Evil. 

Bada (S.E.S) 

The first generation idol is one of the first to make their debut in musical theater. Bada made her debut in The Peppermint in 2003. Her next musical appearance was in 2007’s Tell Me on a Sunday. From 2007, she starred in eight more stage productions: Notre-Dame de Paris, 200 Pounds Beauty, Broadway on 42nd Street, Legally Blonde, Mozart!, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Carmen, and Gone with the Wind. 

Ock Joo Hyun (Fin K.L.) 

Ock Joo Hyun is another first generation idol who also makes waves in musical theater. She debuted in 2005 in the first Korean-language production of Aida in 2005, followed by the first Korean production of Chicago in 2007. 

She is now more well-known as a musical actress, and remains very popular in the Korean musical scene. She has appeared in multiple productions of Aida, Chicago, The Count of Monte Cristo, Elisabeth, Rebecca, The Last Kiss, Mata Hari, and Wicked. Ock Joo Hyun also won multiple awards for her musical theater performances. 

Bonus: There are also two more idols who have taken their first steps into musical theater! Former 2NE1 member Dara starred in the musical adaptation of the tvN drama Another Oh Hae Young in 2020. And, NCT member Doyoung took on the lead role in the 2021 run of Marie Antoinette. 

There are more idols who are great musical talents, and it’s always great to see them explore new ways to hone their craft. 

Which idol musical actor is your favorite? 

Featured Image: Kpop superstar Kyuhun stars in Frankenstein the Musical, along with VIXX’s Leo. Photo: SM Entertainment