History Main / KoreanPopMusic

** Sunny

** Super Junior-D&E
** Kyuhyun

* TeenIdol: A good number of idols have started their careers at young ages, with some as young as 12 or 13. This is because there's a clear preference for young and fresh faces to cater to Kpop's young demographics, with older idols often ditching this image and going for a mature and serious persona, some moving into the acting field as they grow older.

* TeenIdol: Many Kpop idols have big teenage fanbases because they aim at and appeal to teenagers and young adults. However, idols that have been in the industry for a long time had their teen fans grow up with them and become older now.

* Eunbi

** '''FaceOfTheBand''': The most famous member and the group's representative, who gives them exposure through appearing in TV programs and public events. This is the member whose face first comes to mind whenever the group is mentioned. This is not a separate position, and it is usually given to a member who already has one of the above roles.

* {{Catchphrase}}: Almost every Kpop group has a unique phrase they say when they introduce themselves to the public.

** Nayeon

* Music/{{Blackpink}}

* Music/{{Fromis_9}}[[labelnote:*]]Originally under Stone Music Media & Off the Record Entertainment from 2018-2021 but transferred under Pledis' management after August 16, 2021.[[/labelnote]]

* Music/{{Seventeen}}

* Music/XDinaryHeroes

* [[Music/NMixx NMIXX]]
* [[Music/StrayKids Stray Kids]]

* Music/{{Twice}}

* [[Music/WonderGirls Wonder Girls]]

* [[Music/XdinaryHeroes XDinary Heroes]]

* [=NewJeans=]

** 2017-18: ''Music/LoveYourselfSeries''

* Music/{{iKON}} (former; left the company in 2022)

* Music/{{iKON}}

* '''Vocalist''': [[VocalTagTeam There are at least 2-3 vocalists in a group]] and the more there are members, the more vocalists they would have.
** There are three 'levels' or types: the main vocalist, the lead vocalist, and the sub vocalist or simply a vocalist. The one in the main position has the best singing skills and technique out of all the members which is what earned them this position. They usually have the most lines and/or the hardest ones (highnotes, adlibs, etc.).

** Main dancers are, again, the members with the best dancing skills and technique in the group. They're often in the front of the group's formation or take the center parts, especially during dance breaks. Meanwhile, lead dancers are only a level below the main dancers in terms of dancing, basically the second best.
* '''Rapper''': Likewise, rappers follow this same pattern, as well. However, many groups only have one primary rapper because the genre and style of the group doesn't allow for much space for rap in their songs.
** The majority of idols in this position get called "idol rappers" as in they don't really write their own raps and are given this role by their companies regardless of their rap skills (a.k.a not "real" rappers). However, there's plenty of idols who still write their own raps, particularly found within groups with a {{Hiphop}} and {{Trap|Music}} focused sound - with some even coming from the underground rap scene before joining the group.
* '''Visual''': Simply put, they are the best looking member of the group.
** Precisely speaking, however, they're the member with features that fit all or most Korean beauty standards (sharp jawline, pale skin, double eyelids, etc.). Many idols with a visual position move into acting and get offered ad deals and acting roles because of their looks (this is not to say that they solely get cast based on looks alone and not talent, however having good looks still gives them an advantage).

** The way this role gets assigned varies from a group to another. Sometimes it's decided based on age -- where the eldest gets the position, and sometimes it's based on experience -- the one who has been in the industry the longest gets the position. Other times groups decide to not have a leader in the first place.
* '''[[TheBabyOfTheBunch Maknae]]''': The youngest member of the group. It's worth noting that despite its fame as a "K-pop term", it's not unique nor original to K-pop - it refers to the youngest in any kind of group in Korea, though it's become better known in the West through its use within idol groups.

** '''FaceOfTheBand''': The most known member and the group's representative, who gives them exposure through appearing in variety programs and public events. Not to be confused with the leader.

* BathtubScene: Usually seen in girl groups' sexy mvs with soap foam or sometimes clothes covering their bodies.
* {{Catchphrase}}: Every Kpop group has a unique phrase they say when they introduce themselves to the public.

** Due to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_South_Korea South Korea's conservative laws]], censorship reaches ridiculous heights sometimes on music programs[[note]]shows artists attend to perform and promote their music[[/note]]. Plenty of songs and videos were initially banned by TV networks, most notably, Creator/{{MBC}}, Creator/{{SBS|SouthKorea}}, and particularly KBS who's notorious for placing bans on almost everything, for merely using slang or vaguely referencing brand names. To solve this, most entertainment companies usually [[LyricSwap alter their artists' songs]] and videos and re-release them however, some agencies refuse to change their content in any way and choose to promote it in other programs instead.

* TeenIdol: A good number of idols have started their careers at young ages, such as of12 and 13. This is because there's a clear preference for young and fresh faces to cater to Kpop's young demographics, with older idols often ditching this image and going for a mature and serious persona, some moving into the acting field as they grow old.

* CoolCar: This is a must-have element or prop for any cool Kpop mv to look even cooler and trendier.

* DancingIsSeriousBusiness: Although not obligatory (instrument-playing bands and some soloists don't incorporate dance moves in their performances), dancing is an essential element that defines Kpop. Kpop choreographies generally have three fundamental elements: intricacy, sharpness, and intensity, though again, not all choreographies are like this. Additionally, many idols incorporate [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpn6J7b9bQI incredible and]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qme9GDp0l2o elaborate dance breaks]] into their choreographies to show more of their talents. Plus, lots of them take great pride in dancing and join dance competitions (i.e. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_the_Stage Hit the Stage]]) even after debuting to showcase their talents and improve themselves.
* FirstNameBasis: Technically a "given name basis" due to Korean naming order putting the family name before the given name, as opposed to Western naming orders having it the other way around, but the majority of idols use only their given names or variations of them professionally, and the ones that don't use StageNames instead (that are usually still mononyms). It's rare for an idol to use their full name professionally in the K-pop industry.

* {{Paparazzi}}: A group of reporters tend to follow idols and wait for them in airports when they are traveling for a schedule, snapping endless photos of them at near and close distances. Korea Dispatch, an online media outlet, is infamous in the Kpop community and scene overall for having paparazzi who specialize in catching celebrities on their secret dates and reporting rumors. Korean stars sometimes make TakeThat jokes about Dispatch.
* PelvicThrust: A common sexual dance move in male groups and soloists' choreographies, that usually as {{fanservice}} for their female fans. A few girl groups do this move as well when doing sensual or "masculine" choreographies.

* Unnamed group (to debut in 2021-2022)

* AnimalMotif: It's quite common for idols to have animals that represent them as motifs, with cats, bunnies, and puppies being the most popular animal motifs that either resemble the idols' look or a trait they share with the animal.

* ChildPopstar: A good number of idols have started their careers at very young ages -- some at the age of 12 and 13. This is because there's a clear preference for young and fresh faces to cater to Kpop's young demographics, with older idols often ditching this image and going for a mature and serious persona, some moving into the acting field as they grow old.

* OfficiallyShortenedTitle: Doubles as FunWithAcronyms. A slew of groups have long names that are shortened to easier and catchier ones. Some of them include BTOB an acronym for Born to Beat, TEEN TOP = [[WordSaladTitle Teenage Emoboy Emotion Next Generation Talent Object Praise]], and BOA = Beat of Angel/Best of All.

* PelvicThrust: A common sexual dance move in male groups and soloists' choreogrphies, that usually as {{fanservice}} for their female fans.

* SellingTheShow:
** Sometimes when idols go on variety programs, they are given opportunities to complain about their [=CEO=]s. So, idols will list things like how their [=CEO=]s can be intimidating, stern, stingy, [[labelnote:Explanation]]It's expected of the older and experienced ones in the same working place to treat their younger ones to a meal in Korea[[/labelnote]] bossy, etc., but it's all in good fun and not in an insulting manner.
** On a more serious note, some idols come out and talk about all the hardships their companies made them go through and the normal things they banned them from doing, especially after they leave these agencies and go their own separate ways.

* VocalTagTeam: Many groups have at least two or more vocalists who trade vocals together on their songs. Harmonizing is less common, since for many groups the focus is mainly on giving every member their own spotlight to showcase their skills and persona.

** Music/{{Lay}}

** T.O.P
** Daesung

* TeenIdol: Nearly all Kpop idols have started their careers as teens and have trained from an even younger age -- some at the age of 12, which makes them double as {{Child Popstar}}s. There's a clear preference for young and fresh faces to cater to Kpop's young demographics, with older idols often ditching this image and going for a mature and serious persona, some moving into the acting field as they age.

* {{Music/aespa}}

* {{Music/EXO}}

** {{Music/Taeyeon}}

* [[{{Music/Twice}} TWICE]]

* [[{{Music/GIDLE}} (G)I-DLE]]

* [[{{Music/WJSN}} [=WJSN=] (Cosmic Girls)]]

* {{Music/VIXX}}

* [[{{Music/UKiss}} U-Kiss]]

* {{Music/Dean}}

* {{Music/EXID}}

See Creator/SMEntertainment for more details.