Life And Career Of Korean Music Artists: What Does It Take?

Member Roles

Each K-pop group member has a specific role. The first is the leader, who maybe be the eldest, the one with the most experience, or simply the one who is respected and responsible and can represent the group effectively. RM, the leader of BTS, is the fourth oldest. Watching Friends taught him English, and he now speaks on behalf of the group at overseas events.

Depending on the size of the group, there can be one or more main vocalists. Taeyeon gets the most lines per song and is supported by lead and sub vocalists from Girls’ Generation.

Rap lines consist of a prominent rapper, a lead rapper, and a sub rapper. Mamamoo’s Moonbyul, a rapper, known for her low vocal range, iKON’s Bobby and Stray Kids’ Hyunjin and Han Jisung are popular rappers.

The lead dancer is supported by the principal dancer, who has the best dancing skills. EXO’s Kai takes precedence in group formations and focuses less on singing than other dancers. Last but not least is the maknae or the group’s youngest member.

Maknaes can have different nicknames, including “evil maknaes” for being mischievous, “visual maknaes” for being attractive, and “golden maknaes” for being incredibly talented. Examples are Super Junior’s Kyuhyun and Jungkook from BTS.