Every K-pop idol is undeniably talented; the ability to rap, sing, and dance on-stage in front of huge audiences is no small feat. However, some go above and beyond the call of duty and continually amaze with their seemingly endless performance capabilities and behind-the-scenes creative skills. Here are 13 idols who can sing, rap, dance, and produce — and the list of talents doesn’t stop there!
1. X1’s Cho Seung Youn
Cho Seung Youn has already had an incredibly varied music career — a former YG Entertainment trainee, he initially debuted with the group UNIQ under Yuehua Entertainment. He promoted solo and even participated in the rap reality competition program “Show Me the Money.” He also recently finished in fifth place on “Produce X 101,” and he debuted in X1 last month. His long career in the industry has honed his skills and made him into the multi-talented singing, dancing, rapping, and producing idol he is today. As if that wasn’t enough, he can also speak five languages. No wonder X1’s leader Han Seung Woo (who is a quadruple threat himself, by the way) voted for Seung Youn as his own pick for leader!
Seung Youn isn’t the only “Produce” idol with some stunning talents — I.O.I-member-turned-soloist Chungha also wows with her endless capabilities. She first made jaws drop with her flawless “Produce 101” audition, and she continues to capture audiences’ hearts to this day with her stunning vocals and performances (including an appearance on “Hit the Stage” in 2016). She also holds a pretty impressive number of producing credits and spends time writing lyrics when she’s not on stage. While maybe not a rapper by training, Chungha proved she’s certainly got rap talent as well in this performance with fellow I.O.I members Jeon Somi and Choi Yoojung. What hidden skills will she possibly reveal next!?
While all of Stray Kids‘ producing unit 3RACHA (made up of members Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han) are multi-talented icons, Bang Chan in particular stands out for his shocking number of producing credits on top of his incredible performance skills. Virtually every Stray Kids song was produced by their leader, and 3RACHA’s pre-debut activities include a veritable gold mine of self-produced tracks. Their performances at 2018 MAMA showcased Stray Kids’ versatility particularly well, and Bang Chan certainly delivered with his sharp moves, clean raps, and power vocals. On top of all that, he’s also the group’s caring and responsible leader!
Cube Entertainment girl group (G)I-DLE also boasts a gorgeous and multi-talented leader in the form of main rapper, lead dancer, vocalist, and center Soyeon. A former “Unpretty Rapstar” and “Produce 101” contestant, Soyeon impressed judges and audience members alike with her fierce raps and dance skills. She was also revealed to be a skilled vocalist during “Produce” and even released her own solo track after the show ended. She now has a hand in almost all of (G)I-DLE’s tracks, and she continues to amaze with her consistently charismatic stage performances. She definitely has fans “jelly” of her incredible skills!
5. NCT’s Taeyong
Another leader with many talents, NCT‘s Taeyong is best known for his sharp rap skills, smooth dance moves, and stunning visuals. However, he’s also played a part in the creation of most of NCT 127‘s title tracks and B-sides behind the scenes, and he has a remarkably soothing singing voice to boot. As if that wasn’t enough, he also recently made a solo debut with his self-written and produced track “Long Flight,” and he is set to debut in SM Entertainment’s latest boy group SuperM in October. This hardworking leader is already a legend in the K-pop world for a reason — his talents (and promotions) are never-ending!
6. EXID’s LE
LE rocks the stage as EXID‘s main rapper and lead dancer, but her talents don’t stop there. She shocked everyone with her appearance on “The King of Mask Singer” back in 2017, proving that she’s got vocal chops too. She has played a part in writing and producing dozens of songs over the course of her career, both for EXID and for other idol groups like DIA and Jewelry. She’s also appeared as a featured artist alongside stars such as HyunA and R&B singer Wheesung. Her credits and her talents just keep going!
Watch the latest episode of “The King of Mask Singer” here!
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In addition to being VIXX‘s main rapper, lead dancer, and vocalist, Ravi is a highly celebrated solo artist with three mixtapes, two mini-albums, and hundreds of producing credits to his name. He impressed with his rap skills on Season 4 of “Show Me the Money,” and he has written songs for groups like ELRIS and gugudan. As of June 2019, he even has his own hip-hop label called GROOVL1N (though he will continue to promote with VIXX, according to agency statements). What is there that Ravi can’t do!?
8. Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon
Hyoyeon is Girls’ Generation‘s main rapper and main dancer, and she’s a vocalist — and that’s not all! She made a solo debut under the name DJ HYO and has shown some amazing variety in her musical style and influence. Her most recent comeback “Badster” features a catchy psytrance track in both Korean and English versions, written and produced by Hyoyeon. She was also on “Hit the Stage” in 2016, blowing the minds of judges and audience members alike with her skills. She’s not called SM Entertainment’s “dancing queen” for nothing!
9. ONEUS’s Ravn
There’s a lot to love about ONEUS, from their spellbinding music to their complex choreography. Many of the members perform more than one role on stage, so this rookie group is definitely brimming with talent. You’re going to want to keep an eye on them for sure! Ravn certainly ups the game when it comes to multitasking, being the group’s main rapper, vocalist, producer, and leader. He often switches between vocals and rap mid-song, further proving that he’s already got the skills of a seasoned performer despite the group’s fairly recent debut.
10. f(x)’s Amber
f(x)’s Amber stands out in the world of female K-pop rappers for her lower rap tone, but that’s not the only thing that differentiates her from the crowd. She’s also got the silky-smooth vocals of a trained singer, and some impressive dance skills as well. As if she could possibly get any cooler, it also turns out that she’s a great producer, lyricist, and director! With her recently announced departure from SM Entertainment, Amber released a solo album that she co-wrote and produced, along with a music video that she helped to direct and edit — and it’s a banger if there ever was one!
11. BIGBANG’s G-Dragon
He’s a legend for a reason: G-Dragon is one of K-pop’s most celebrated artists and producers thanks to his unending creativity and talent. He’s an undeniably charismatic performer — his seamless vocals, punchy raps, and swaggy moves all combine to make every stage unforgettable. On top of that, he’s also one of K-pop’s greatest producers and the brain behind many of BIGBANG’s biggest hits. He’s also a fashion designer, visual artist, jewelry designer… we could go on. The level of artistic genius is unreal, y’all.
12. MAMAMOO’s Moonbyul
The ladies of MAMAMOO are known for their powerful performances, and Moonbyul is certainly no exception. She’s one of the most well-known female rappers in the industry, has created some of MAMAMOO’s performance choreography, and possesses an angelic voice as well. (Check out her appearance on “The King of Mask Singer” if you want to be blessed with some serious honey vocals.) However, she’s also a producer and has been involved in the creation of most of MAMAMOO’s title tracks and B-sides. She writes the majority of her rap parts herself and even has collaborated on lyrics for other artists. If you’re searching for the next idol queen to stan, look no further!
13. BTS’s J-Hope
With his solo release back in 2018, BTS‘s main dancer, rapper, and vocalist J-Hope solidified his position as a multi-talented global icon. The self-produced album garnered massive success and proved to the world what ARMYs had known all along: J-Hope excels at everything he does. His impeccable dance skills, mesmerizing rap flow, and smooth vocals are the stuff of K-pop legend, and he’s on the producing team behind some of BTS’s greatest hits (including “Best of Me” and “Dionysus”) as well. BTS recently announced an end to their rest period, and J-Hope blessed fans with a new release right off the bat — who knows what other bops he has in store?
Does your favorite idol have any talents that really make them stand out? Tell us about it in the comments!
