Over the last decade, K-pop has gained international recognition as groups continue to break long-set records in the music industry. Several K-pop artists have charted on Billboard within the last year such as BTS, BLACKPINK, TWICE, Tomorrow x Together and more.

American award shows are slowly recognizing the accomplishments of these groups as well. BTS has been nominated twice for Grammy awards in the past two years for ‘Best Pop Duo/Group Performance’, BLACKPINK has been nominated for ‘Top Social Artist’ in 2020 at the Billboard Music Awards and NCT 127 for ‘Social Artist’ in 2020 at the American Music Awards.

Other notable achievements include international album sales for numerous K-pop groups. Prior to Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour album, NCT Dream held the most album sales in 2021 with a total of over two million copies. In 2021 alone, the NCT brand sold over 10 million copies altogether including all units. Seventeen reached over three million album sales in 2021, making it their most successful year to date.

But there are Canadians hidden within the industry who are thriving in the scene as well. These individuals have broken many records within their respective groups and continue to gain fans with their quality music in the genre. Here is a list of five K-pop idols that are representing Canada on a new stage.

Mark Lee

When speaking about Canadian K-pop Idols, Mark Lee is always mentioned in the conversation. Born in Toronto in 1999, Mark Lee, otherwise known as Lee Minhyung, has become the Canadian representative of NCT. In a podcast with Dive Studios, Mark revealed that he went to the SM Global Audition — an audition process where individuals present their talents to staff from South Korean entertainment company SM to become a trainee — while his school was on strike after following his brother there.

Mark officially joined SM Entertainment in 2012 after passing the initial round of auditions in Vancouver. He was later announced as an SM Rookie in 2013 as part of the pre-debut team of trainees under the label. After training for four consecutive years, he officially debuted as a rapper in 2016 with NCT U’s single “The 7th Sense.” He is now a part of several K-pop groups such as NCT Dream, NCT 127, NCT U, and SuperM under SM Entertainment.

Mark has claimed many positions throughout his career. Labelled as a rapper, singer, dancer and songwriter, he advances his abilities through each release. He contributed to writing lyrics for many songs throughout his time in NCT, but some notable tracks include “Baby Don’t Like It,” “Dear Dream,” “Love Song” and “Sticker.”

Throughout 2021, Mark broke records in over seven comebacks in each group including singles, collabs, albums, and repackaged albums. NCT U’s latest yearbook album, Universe, released on Dec. 14, 2021, features Mark on the track “Let’s Play Ball.” He also participated in composing songs and was featured on several tracks throughout the album such as “New Axis”, “OK!” and “Earthquake.”

Jeon Somi

Otherwise known as the “Barbie of K-pop,” Jeon Somi, or Ennik Somi Douma, is a soloist under The Black Label. Somi was born to a Korean mother and a Dutch-Canadian father in Windsor, Ont. Moving to South Korea when she was only a year old, Somi maintained fluency in both English and Korean.

Training under JYP Entertainment and competing on K-pop survival shows such as Sixteen and Produce 101, Somi debuted as the centre of I.O.I in 2016. After the group’s disbandment, she joined another project group named Girls Next Door, though it was temporary. Somi debuted as a soloist on June 13, 2019, with her digital single “Birthday.”

Working with The Black Label, Somi has become heavily involved with writing and producing her own music. For each release, she has worked with Teddy Park in producing her visions into a “girl-crush” sound. The concept has risen in popularity with fourth-generation artists leaning towards empowering and fierce themes. By working closely with stylists, Somi has helped curate album concepts and fashions styles as well.

After two years of digital singles, Somi’s first official album XOXO was released on Oct. 29, 2021. Consisting of five tracks including previous single releases, she narrates stories of female empowerment, rebellion and heartbreak. The title track was accompanied by a dance challenge that went viral on TikTok. Somi was spotted making numerous videos with idols across the industry and drawing attention to the chorus for both new listeners and fans all over.

Jacob Bae

While The Boyz have risen in popularity following their participation on survival shows Kingdom and Road to Kingdom, member Jacob Bae has become known for his sweet vocals among fans.

Upon auditioning for LOEN Entertainment in Toronto, Jacob went to Korea in July 2015 where he trained for three years before his debut in The Boyz. In July 2017, Jacob was officially announced as the 11th member of The Boyz. The group later debuted on Dec. 6, 2017 with their mini-album The First.

In addition to singing, Jacob has participated in writing lyrics throughout the group’s discography. These songs include “I’m Your Boy,” “Just U,” “Clover” and “Spring Snow.” Co-hosting with his group member Kevin Moon, Jacob has also acted as an MC on Simply K-Pop since 2018.

The Boyz’s recent single album Maverick was released on Nov. 1, 2021, consisting of three tracks. The title track is accompanied by “Hypnotized” and “Russian Roulette,” which all highlight the strengths of each member coming together. With this release, they became the first fourth-generation boy group to win on every major K-pop music show. Collecting all five trophies, including a win on Inkigayo marked yet another milestone for The Boyz.

Kevin Moon

Also a member of The Boyz, Kevin Moon is well-known among fans for his range of musical skills — from playing the piano and guitar to singing. Jacob was born in Gwangju, South Korea in 1998, but later moved to Vancouver with family when he was four.

Prior to his debut, Kevin was a contestant in the sixth season of the audition program K-pop Star in 2016, where he advanced to the third round of finals. Following his appearance in the show, he recorded his first single “Half” which became the original soundtrack for the drama Saimdang Light’s Diary. In July 2017, he was announced as the sixth member of The Boyz, with his profile film released on the same day.

Kevin has also been an MC for several programs in South Korea such as After School Club, Together Again and Simply K-Pop alongside Jacob. He also has songwriting credits for several tracks throughout The Boyz’s discography such as “Just U” and “Clover.”

The Boyz continue to release albums that explore their concept of a boy and its many facets. Coining the title “Concept Chamelons,” the members constantly prove their versatility through each era. Whether it be a youthful colourful concept such as “Bloom Bloom” or an intense concept such as “The Stealer,” all 11 members pull it off seamlessly.

Yoon Keeho

Though he has become the definition of a gen-Z idol, Yoon Keeho, otherwise known as Stephen Yoon, has shown his musical skills in the group P1Harmony. He was born in Toronto in 2001 and grew up in Markham, Ont.

Keeho joined FNC Entertainment in 2017 and trained for almost three years prior to debuting in P1Harmony. He was introduced as the first member of the group in 2020, holding the position of the leader and vocalist. The group officially debuted on Oct. 28, 2020, with the EP, DISHARMONY: STAND OUT and an accompanying movie, P1H: The Beginning of a New World. 

Often mistaken for a rapper, Keeho’s soulful voice is quite distinct throughout P1Harmony’s music and covers. The group has covered hit songs on YouTube such as “Maniac” by Conan Gray and “good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo. Keeho also has writing credits on several songs throughout P1Harmony’s discography including “That’s It,” “Reset” and “If You Call Me.”

P1Harmony recently released their third mini-album titled DISHARMONY: FIND OUT on Jan. 3, 2022. The album consists of six songs and saw its sales triple in comparison to their previous album, DISHARMONY: BREAK OUT — making it their bestselling album to date.