JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Meet K-pop idol who was once BTS’ backup dancer and almost got kicked out of debut program before joining 4th generation boy group
Today, let’s get to know a K-pop idol, who rose from a backup performer to a leading boy band’s main dancer. Read on to find out who he is!
The journey to become a K-pop idol is filled with many hardships. Each year, thousands of youngsters from all around the world apply to become trainees with renowned entertainment agencies. Once they make it, the real journey commences. Years of training to hone dancing, singing, and stage skills can all go in vain if they don’t get to debut. Today we will explore the life and career of such a star, who dreamed of grabbing the spotlight after serving as BTS’ backup dancer, almost failed to make it but his hard work and dreams came to fruition, gifting the fans an outstanding 4th generation boy band member.
Who is this K-pop idol?
Do you have a guess yet? We are talking about a charmer, the main dancer of his group, and someone with an extreme passion for music, Lee Know (Lee Minho is his birth name), a member of 4th gen leading boy band Stray Kids.
Born on October 25, 1998, he dreamed of becoming a dancer since middle school. During this time, he enrolled in Souldance Studio in Seoul, attending performance director BICO’s classes for the next five years.
Rumor has it, that while he was juggling between dance gigs and his education, the K-pop idol took up many odd jobs to pay for cram school and transport fares.
This K-pop star was a backup dancer for BTS' Wing's Tour
In 2016, he alongside his crew Cupcakes, participated in World of Dance South Korea qualifications. Around this time, he found his way to BTS' backstage, becoming the backup dancer for the group.
In early 2017, during the seven-piece band Wing’s Tour, he traveled all over the world, honing his skills as the backup performer. In particular, he was seen among the dancers for BTS’ smash-hit tracks Spring Day and Fire.
It was around this time that he realized that he wanted to grab the spotlight.
Journey begins: Meet K-drama star who was eliminated from debut program
In 2015, Lee Know kicked off his pursuit of dreams. He auditioned for JYP Entertainment during a global dance event. But for two years, he didn’t receive any update. However, he continued to hone himself as a dancer. In 2017, after a long wait, he was called back to participate as a contestant in the Stray Kids, a survival show by the agency to mold the next boy group.
However, from here, his journey was filled with rollercoaster moments. During his participation, judge J.Y. Park commented that he lacked confidence while pointing out his mistakes. In the elimination round, he had to depart alongside Felix.
Later, both members were brought back with a second chance to show their skills. Meanwhile, the audience also preferred to see a new 9-member group instead of a 7-member.
Debut with 4th gen K-pop boy band
On March 26, 2018, Lee Know officially debuted with the 9-piece group Stray Kids, alongside Bang Chan, Changbin, Han, Felix, Hyunjin, Seungmin, I.N, and Kim Woojin (left in 2019).
He is assigned as the group’s main dancer and sub vocalist, He also unofficially carries out the role of the dance leader, as oftentimes, he helps the group with learning choreographies and oversees dance practice.
Discography
Lee Know’s artistry is often showcased in his self-composed works like the 2019 dance performance DAWN for the SKZ-PLAYER series. He choreographed the whole instrumental by himself. For this series, he also worked as a lyricist of the track Drive, accompanying Bang Chan.
On December 21, 2022, the K-pop idol released his first solo Limbo as part of SKZ-REPLAY. He also participated in the song’s composition and helped write the lyrics. Most recently, on February 22, 2024, he unveiled a cover song for DAY6’s Love me or Leave me.
Lee Know continues to soar high as a talented member of Stray Kids, proving his selection to the group was worth it.
Latest Articles
