While watching MVs or live performances of your favorite K-pop groups, are you even looking at the back-up dancers? Maybe not. Undoubtedly, your focus is on your idols. However, this list might make you pay attention more to them, as your faves, before rising to fame, are actually back-up dancers first!
1. EXO's Lay
The Chinese idol, who trained under SM Entertainment, was once a back-up dancer to K-pop group, SHINee, before debuting as the main dancer of EXO. During one of SHINee's live performances of "Ring Ding Dong," a fan noticed Lay, dancing together with the SHINee members in place of Jonghyun, who wasn't able to perform. Without fans knowing, he was actually going to debut as one of the most successful members of EXO, both in Korea and China, as well as globally.
2. Former After School's Kahi
A prominent personality behind the success of MNET's music show, Produce 101 that became a way to debut IOI and WANNA ONE, Kahi, who is a former member of After School and mentor of the show, was a back-up dancer of the "K-pop's Queen" BoA. With her skills and perseverance, the idol has been able to create her own name in the music industry.
3. BTS's Jungkook and J-Hope
In 2012, 2AM's Jo Kwon promoted under BIG HIT Entertainment and released his solo debut song, "I'm Da One." During that time, BIG HIT was already preparing to debut a new group, which is now the most successful K-pop group of the new era, BTS.
Thus, Jungkook and J-Hope performed as Jo Kwon back-up dancers, while BTS's Taehyung and Jin even appeared in the music video as bodyguards! Who would've have known that they will rose to fame all over the world?
4. Kang Daniel
The former WANNA ONE member and currently a solo artist under his own company started from the bottom, like many idols. On one of Uhm Jung Hwa's "Invitation" episode, Fiestar's Cao Lu and SPICA's Sihyun had a collaboration, and it was sizzling hot! However, years after, after Daniel decided to join the show Produce 101, he eventually caught lots of attention from the netizens, and digging his background, he was one of the back-up dancers who took part on that fantastic performance!
5. IZ*ONE Eunbi
The leader of the global group IZ*ONE was once a back-up dancer for K-pop's girl group Girl's Day. During her appearance in Amazing Saturday in 2018, she reunited with Hyeri, who is a member of the group. She then revealed that they performed a lot together [with Hyeri]. The Girl's Day member then shared that Eunbi once told her that she wants to be a singer too, and finally, upon joining Produce 48, she was able to debut as a member of IZ*ONE.
6. MONSTA X's Shownu
Shownu's dancing skill is indeed amazing and praiseworthy, which is why there's no doubt that he was able to become a back-up dancer of former SISTAR's Lee Hyori. But since it's true that Shownu is born to do something bigger, he is now the leader and main dancer of his own group, MONSTA X.
7. Chung Ha
One of the most successful K-pop soloists who came from, IOI, Chung Ha is the scene-stealing back-up dancer of Ulala Session before.
8. BIGBANG
Despite being one of the iconic K-pop groups, even dubbed by the media as the "Kings of K-pop," the group started as another group's back-ups as well. During their trainee days, they appeared as back-up dancers for Se7en's solo concerts.
9. SEVENTEEN S.Coups and NUE'ST members
Before leading the K-pop's new generation, these idols also became performers for other known groups, including After School, where they were featured in the female group's song, "Wonder Boy."
10. Lee Hangyul
The former X1 star, Lee Hangyul, has a long way indeed before becoming THE 'Lee Hangyul' of K-pop industry now. He gained interest from fans during his scene-stealing moments with Korean singer, Shannon.
