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outstanding vocalist 10 - ♡♫ jooyeon ♫♡

Jooyeon, born Lee Jooyeon, is the bassist and main vocalist of Xdinary Heroes, a band that debuted in december of 2021. jooyeon passed a private audition for JYP Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment companies in south korea, in 2020; he was the first of six members to be revealed in the final lineup of a new band. rock bands in k-pop rarely receive mainstream attention, so seeing one debut under such a large company was a shock to many k-pop fans. over the past two years, they have defined their rock/metal influenced sound with albums like Hello, World!, Overload, Deadlock, and Livelock.

i've known of the group since the release of their debut single "Happy Death Day" but what pulled me into the fandom was jooyeon's live vocals. not only is he a talented bassist, but he's an incredible vocalist who isn't afraid to experiment with techniques like growling and screaming. his singing style is a breath of fresh air in an industry like k-pop, and you can feel the emotion he puts into every single word, even without knowing the language. i recommend the songs "Good Enough", "Pluto", and "Strawberry Cake".

here's a clip of him (and bandmate jungsu) singing a cover of "Why Do You Call Me?" by Song Changsik on the music competition show Immortal Songs 2 (full video here):

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outstanding vocalist 9 - ♡♫ taeil ♫♡

Taeil, born Moon Taeil, is the main vocalist of NCT, a group that debuted in april of 2016. taeil began as a member of SM Rookies, a predebut group for trainees under the company. during his time as a rookie, he was featured on the official soundtrack for The Merchant: Gaekju 2015. eventually, this lead to his debut in NCT, a unique group that categorizes its 26 members - that’s right, 26 - with different subunits. taeil was featured on the group’s second debut single, “Without You,” which was released on april 10, 2016. he has also been the main vocalist of the seoul-based subunit, NCT 127, since their debut in july of 2016 with the song “Firetruck.”

there are many vocalists in NCT that i could've considered for this list, but i chose taeil because of his obvious passion for music of all styles, whether he's singing a soft ballad for a tv soundtrack or an experimental bop like "Sticker" for NCT 127. it's clear he puts his heart and soul into every comeback. you can hear him featured on songs like "Love Song", "Jet Lag", and "Purple".

here's a clip of him singing a cover of "Baby Baby" by 4MEN (full video here):

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outstanding vocalist 8 - ♡♫ lily ♫♡

Lily, born Lily Jin Morrow, is the main vocalist of NMIXX, a group that debuted in february of 2022. NMIXX may be a rookie group, but lily got her start at a much younger age. in 2014, she competed in K-pop Star 4, a show where entertainment companies hold worldwide auditions to find new talent. she won fourth place and was scouted by two of south korea's biggest entertainment companies; she ended up signing a contract with JYP Entertainment. during her six and a half years of training, lily participated in 6 trainee showcases and contributed to several projects for different groups also under the company, such as voice acting for GOT7's "If You Do" music video and background vocals in songs by 3RACHA.

i remember lily's debut being a big deal at the time because she was such a monster trainee. her voice was incredibly impressive from such a young age and everyone was excited to hear how she improved from so many years of training, and she did not disappoint! her vocal range is insane and her tone is clean and strong. you can hear more of her in songs like "DICE", "Love Me Like This", and "Soñar (Breaker)".

here's a clip of her singing a cover of "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars (full video here):

[kpoptistic]

outstanding vocalist 7 - ♡♫ jungkook ♫♡

Jungkook, born Jeon Jungkook, is the main vocalist of BTS, a group that debuted in july of 2013. if you haven't heard of BTS by now, they are the world's biggest k-pop group. they've received countless awards, nominations, and accolades and have even been compared to artists like the Beatles. they began as seven trainees under the humble company Big Hit Entertainment and have grown into global superstars. jungkook in particular made his official solo debut in july of 2023, releasing songs like "Seven", "3D", and "Standing Next To You", which featured artists like Latto, Jack Harlow, and Usher. he became the first korean solo artist to simultaneously top the Hot 100, Global 200, and Global Excl. US charts.

jungkook's massive success isn't for nothing. as a fan of BTS for seven years now, i can say jungkook's voice is not only what made me take an interest in BTS, but in k-pop as a whole. i was so used to hearing produced vocals that the first time i saw a video of jungkook performing live, i was shocked by his stability and control. he won't be releasing any new music for a while due to his recent military enlistment, but until then you can listen to songs like "Begin", "Euphoria", and "My Time".

here's a clip of him singing "Standing Next To You" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (full video here):

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outstanding vocalist 6 - ♡♫ jayoung ♫♡

Jayoung, born Park Jayoung, is the singer of Rolling Quartz, a band that debuted in december of 2020. Rolling Quartz is an indie k-rock band whose goal is to make rock a more popular genre in south korea. they began as two separate bands named Rolling Girlz and Rose Quartz, but combined to make the five member band we know today as Rolling Quartz. long before their debut, jayoung was practicing singing professionally. in pursuit of a music career, she sang on an episode of Fantastic Duo, a show where fans can sing with celebrities. she sang the song "U&I" by vocal legend Ailee, along with four other contestants, and proved early on that she's got an amazing voice.

jayoung is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to vocals, and she's super charismatic onstage, immediately drawing your attention. she is definitely a voice you should hear live, which Rolling Quartz makes very easy as they often have online concerts for free on youtube. if you like rock, you should check out their songs like "Blaze", "Nazababara", and "Holler".

here's a clip of her singing Rolling Quartz's song "Azalea" live (full video here):

[kpoptistic]

outstanding vocalist 5 - ♡♫ dk ♫♡

DK, born Lee Seokmin, is the main vocalist of SEVENTEEN, a group that debuted in may of 2015. SEVENTEEN is a group of thirteen members (before you ask why there's only thirteen, here's a clip of actress Emma Myers explaining it) split into three units, each one specializing in a different aspect of their music; dk is a part of the vocal team. independently, he has sung on the soundtracks of dramas in songs like "I Should've First" and "Missed Connections". he also won runner up on the show King of Mask Singer (similar to the american tv series The Masked Singer) in 2016 and starred in the musical Xcalibur as the lead character "King Arthur" in 2019.

i'm only a casual fan of SEVENTEEN, but i've been a massive fan of dk for years ever since i heard his performance on King of Mask Singer. his voice was very captivating to me; it's clear singing comes quite naturally to him. what i find most impressive is his higher register and his mixed belt, a difficult vocal technique to master. you can hear more of him in iconic SEVENTEEN songs like "Very Nice", "BOOMBOOM", and "Don't Wanna Cry".

here's a clip of him singing "What Does It Mean To Be A King" from the musical Xcalibur (full video here):

[kpoptistic]

outstanding vocalist 4 - ♡♫ siyeon ♫♡

Siyeon, born Lee Siyeon, is the main vocalist of Dreamcatcher, a group that debuted in january of 2017. prior to Dreamcatcher, siyeon debuted as a member of MINX in september of 2014. MINX was a standard k-pop girl group, but the generic concept wasn't selling big so the group rebranded, thus resulting in Dreamcatcher. they wanted to stand out with a concept more influenced by horror and rock music, and siyeon became a core element to their signature sound thanks to her experience as the front of a rock band during high school. now Dreamcatcher is known as the "face of rock in k-pop" thanks to their unique qualities and confidence to pursue a style most other groups would never dare to.

siyeon's voice is unlike any other in k-pop. she's an impressive belter with incredibly strong vibrato. the sheer power in her voice commands the stage, not to mention her ability to sing clearly through the heavy choreography that typically accompanies Dreamcatcher's music. you can hear more of her in songs like "Deja Vu", "Propose", and "Vision".

here's a clip of her singing a cover of "Last Love" by Kim Bumsoo on the vocal competition show V-1, where she won runner up (full video here):

[kpoptistic]

outstanding vocalist 3 - ♡♫ jongho ♫♡

Jongho, born Choi Jongho, is the main vocalist of ATEEZ, a group that debuted in october of 2018. ATEEZ started out as a group of trainees under KQ Entertainment. jongho, along with 3 other members, participated in the survival show MIXNINE where trainees from many companies competed to be in the top nine overall, eventually leading to a new group. jongho placed 43rd, and the publicity from the show led to the formation of KQ Fellaz, which soon turned into ATEEZ.

i've been following the group since debut and still continue to be impressed by jongho's vocals to this day. his voice takes ATEEZ songs to a new level by adding a unique texture to their sound. his live singing skills are also very technically fascinating, as his ability to control his posture and strength allow him to powerfully sing high notes unlike any other 4th gen idol. some ATEEZ tracks i recommend include "Dancing Like Butterfly Wings", "Halazia", and "Guerilla".

here's a clip of him singing a cover of "So You" by Yarn on the music competition show Immortal Songs 2 (full video here):

[kpoptistic]

outstanding vocalist 2 - ♡♫ wendy ♫♡

Wendy, born Shon Seungwan, is the main vocalist of Red Velvet, a group that debuted in august of 2014. she is also a member of the SM Entertainment super girl group, Girls On Top. wendy began as a member of SM Rookies, a predebut group for trainees under the company. she earned her spot after almost two years of training, which then led to her official debut as one of five members in Red Velvet. over the years, she has sung on countless tv show soundtracks and collaborated with many other artists, such as Eric Nam, Ricky Martin, and John Legend. her solo debut came in april of 2021 with the EP Like Water. most recently, wendy made her theatre debut in june after being cast as "I" in the korean production of the german musical Rebecca.

wendy is an incredibly expressive vocalist, and she's been known for her talent from a young age. even listening to her old performances (like the viral video of her singing "Halo" by Beyonce), you can hear the soul and emotion she puts into every word. as the main vocalist of Red Velvet, her voice shines through in tracks like "Psycho", "RBB (Really Bad Boy)", and "Happiness".

here's a clip of her singing her song "Like Water" live (full video here):

[kpoptistic]

outstanding vocalist 1 - ♡♫ kihyun ♫♡

Kihyun, born Yoo Kihyun, is the main vocalist of MONSTA X, a group that debuted in may of 2015. MONSTA X was formed through a survival show called No.Mercy where trainees competed for a spot in the final lineup of a new k-pop group. kihyun was the third of seven trainees to be confirmed as a final member. since then, he has appeared on the official soundtracks of many korean dramas, such as She Was Pretty and Welcome, and was a contestant on King of Mask Singer (similar to the american tv series The Masked Singer) in both 2016 and 2021. kihyun also made his solo debut in march of 2022 with the album VOYAGER.

kihyun has been one of my favorite k-pop vocalists for years, especially after hearing him live. his raw vocals sound identical to his recorded ones, and i’ve always admired his seemingly effortless ability to belt out notes in a high range. though he is currently enlisted in the military, you can still enjoy his voice in songs like "Jealousy", ", (Comma)", and "Rain".

here's a clip of him singing a cover of "Believer" by Imagine Dragons (full video here):

[kpoptistic]

♡♫ hello tumblr! ♫♡

welcome to my blog! im not sure if im gonna maintain this often, but my first series of posts will be about outstanding k-pop vocalists!! most k-pop idols sing regardless of their position in the group, so i wanted to showcase some 3rd and 4th gen idols that stand out to me as a singer myself :)

in no particular order, here are 10 of my favorite k-pop vocalists!

1 - kihyun of monsta x

2 - wendy of red velvet

3 - jongho of ateez

4 - siyeon of dreamcatcher

5 - dk of seventeen

6 - jayoung of rolling quartz

7 - jungkook of bts

8 - lily of nmixx

9 - taeil of nct

10 - jooyeon of xdinary heroes