Several K-pop idols, who rose to fame as idol group members, actually debuted as solo artists first. From HIGHLIGHT Gikwang to WEi members, check out our list below!
8 K-pop Idols Who First Debuted as Soloist Before Becoming Idol Group Members
1. HIGHLIGHT Lee Gikwang
Lee Gikwang initially debuted as a solo artist under the stage name AJ in April 2009. Gikwang left a strong impression with his impressive dancing skills and was even deemed as the next Rain.
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AJ then used his real name when he debuted as a BEAST member. BEAST ultimately changed its name to HIGHLIGHT after they left CUBE Entertainment in December 2016 and established their own agency Around Us Entertainment.
2. Sandara Park (2NE1)
Sandara Park may be known for her years as a 2NE1 member, but she had a solo career before this. She was initially active in music and acting while residing in the Philippines. She made her solo debut in 2004 and had relatively great success in the country.
Dara ultimately relocated to South Korea with her family. She then signed with YG Entertainment as a trainee and re-debuted as a 2NE1 member.
3. Baby Soul (Lovelyz)
Baby Soul debuted as a soloist in November 2011 and received praises for her exceptional vocal skills. Since then, she has collaborated with various artists, including her labelmate INFINITE H.
In November 2014, Baby Soul re-debuted as the leader of Lovelyz and continued to showcase her great singing. At present, she is carrying out solo activities fter Lovelyz disbanded in November 2021.
4. WINNER Kang Seungyoon
Kang Seungyoon is currently a popular member of YG Entertainment's boy group WINNER, which debuted in August 2014. He also carries out activities as a solo artist from time to time. He began his career as a soloist in July 2013 and was heavily praised for his skills in singing and playing the guitar.
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After his solo debut, Seungyoon was announced to be one of the participants in "Who Is Next: WIN," surprising fans and netizens. His group won the competition show, and Seungyoon became the leader of WINNER.
5. (G)I-DLE Jeon Soyeon
Another female K-pop idol who first debuted as a soloist is Jeon Soyeon, who is currently the leader of CUBE Entertainment's girl group (G)I-DLE.
Soyeon started her solo career in 2017, nearly two years after her appearance in Mnet's "Produce 101."
6. JUST B Lim Jimin
Lim Jimin is currently part of BlueDot Entertainment's first and only idol group JUST B, which was launched in June 2021.
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Two years prior, he made his solo debut in May 2019 with his first single "Mini." He has yet to make his solo comeback.
7-8. WEi Kim Donghan, Jang Daehyeon
In WEi, two members debuted as solo artists first before they became members of the group.
While Kim Donghan made his solo debut in June 2018 with his first mini-album "D-Day," Jang Daehyeon dropped his first single, "Feel Good," in August 2019. Both of them then re-debuted as WEi members in October 2020.
If you know other K-pop idols who first debuted as soloists before becoming idol group members, comment below!
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Written by Maria Scott
