[Y STRATEGY①] You’ll See the ‘Real’ iKON if You Know the Members (Part 1)
[YTN Star=지승훈 기자] As YG Entertainment’s rising stars, group iKON is now a top-class idol in the K-Pop scene. Their huge fandom and performances in music charts prove the fact.
iKON released their new mini album ‘NEW KIDS : CONTINUE’ on August 2, and are going through promotional activities with the song ‘KILLING ME’. It’s their 2nd comeback this year after releasing their biggest hit ‘LOVE SCENARIO’ last year on January. iKON is currently achieving great results by being placed at no. 1 and on the top ranks in various music charts.
Everyone would’ve heard iKON’s music at least once. ‘LOVE SCENARIO’, ‘MY TYPE’, ‘#WYD’ are catchy songs that captivate the ears of listeners. However, many people still don’t know much about members of iKON.
Talented individuals such as rapper B.I and BOBBY, and vocals JU-NE and JAY are handling iKON’s music. We have analyzed the members through this article, as they have talents and looks that match the catchiness of their songs. They were full of charms one cannot simply get out of.
■The 4 main members that lead iKON (B.I·BOBBY·JU-NE·JAY)
B.I is the team’s leader, lead rapper, and main dancer. He spent his youth as a trainee in YG and worked his way up as a leader in a trainee survival program hosted within YG Entertainment.
He also gained recognition by making appearance in Mnet’s ‘Show Me The Money 3’, letting the people know he’s signed to YG Entertainment as an artist. His blatant words sometimes became a controversy among viewers, but his talents that backed up his confidence led him to become iKON’s leader.
B.I appeared on various survival programs to reveal his talents. He became an all-around idol by participating in the writing, composing, arrangement, stage directing, and organizing choreographies. As a result, YG’s representative producer YANG HYUN SUK and BIGBANG’s G-DRAGON highly valued B.I’s talents. All the title songs from iKON’s albums are given birth from B.I’s hands.
B.I is known to have responsibility and leadership. He receives support from the members with his perfectionist inclinations. In a recent interview with iKON, BOBBY stated, “B.I handles the overall mood of the song. We follow his opinions as members, since he is the leader. We trust him and support him to get outcomes with high quality”. JAY added, “He is a perfectionist. We try to follow his opinions most of the time”.
Although B.I has a thin voice, his rap has insatiable and sexy vocals. His delivery is also known to stand out.
BOBBY is the team’s main rapper, and the member that has the most charisma. BOBBY is the only rapper of the team along with B.I. He used to live in the United States but started his life in Korea by getting through a YG audition held locally.
BOBBY also appeared on ‘Show Me The Money 3’ with B.I. He became the winner of the program. He broke the prejudice and biased thoughts people had on idol rappers. With his unique and powerful rapping in low-tone, he stirs up the ears of listeners. His powerful energy, provocative lyrics, and unique flow stand out.
His daily image is different from what he displays on stage. His eye-smile melts the hearts of female fans, although he has relatively small eyes. He also appears to be calm and serious in broadcasts and official events, which are a few of his unexpected charms.
Although he is the most well-known member along with B.I, his charms were not passed on to the viewers in TV programs. Many people simply think of him as the ‘Winner of Show Me The Money’.
He revealed himself a couple times by appearing in various commercials after winning ‘Show Me The Money’, but still has relatively low awareness among the public. He sang rather than rapping during his appearance on MBC ‘Radio Star’ last year on February, capturing the ears of the viewers. He doesn’t lack in talk skills, but his chill tension seems to be an obstacle in revealing his charms to the public.
JU-NE is the team’s main vocal. His clear facial features are very attractive. His voice tone is unique and has husky baritone vocals. His wide range of voice volume is also a plus.
He has superb dancing skills, although there are not as well-known as B.I and DK. He is known to be a fan of Michael Jackson, and he also revealed his talents by making appearance in SBS ‘Star King’ before making debut.
After 3 years of training as a trainee, he was selected as a member of iKON. His character is mischievous unlike his matured looks. He was often spotted smiling by himself, while reacting to the words and actions by other members during official appearances.
JU-NE is also working on his composing skills, in addition to his dance and vocals. He is currently active as a composer with the nickname ‘Ju-ne’.
JAY is the main vocal of iKON along with JU-NE. He has led the team as the eldest member since they were trainee.
He handles most of the intro for iKON’s songs, since he has a contrasting voice with JU-NE. He also handles the highlight and ad-lib lines, positioning himself as the charming and irreplaceable voice of iKON.
He is known to be a fan of R&B music. He also pursues the soft and sensuous vibes of R&B music himself. JAY once introduced himself as “a voice good to hear during nights” in a TV broadcast. He sounds slow and calm when he normally talks.
JAY is also known as the icon in dancing among members. The members praised him as a point dancer even for their new song ‘KILLING ME’. He has beautiful dance lines, while his speed coming from his short height allows him to perform acrobatic dances smoothly.
2018. 8. 13.
