Foreign K-pop Idols Impress with Fluent Korean Skills, Sparking Playful Nationality Jokes
In the vibrant world of K-pop, several foreign members of idol groups are astonishing fans with their impressive Korean language skills. Their natural pronunciation and expressive abilities have led to playful suspicions on various variety shows, with hosts jokingly asking if they are actually Korean.
Foreign K-pop Idols Impress with Fluent Korean Skills, Sparking Playful Nationality Jokes
A prime example is Haruto from the group TREASURE. He recently appeared on the YouTube channel '재친구' on the 17th. During the show, singer Kim Jaejoong remarked, "You don't seem Japanese at all," and asked how long Haruto had been in Korea. Haruto replied, "About six years," to which Kim Jaejoong expressed disbelief at his proficiency in such a short time, jokingly suggesting Haruto might be hiding his true nationality.
Kim Jaejoong, who is fluent in Japanese, briefly conversed with Haruto in Japanese but soon returned to Korean, humorously insisting, "You're Korean. Why are you hiding your nationality?"
Previously, Haruto's Korean skills were also acknowledged on the YouTube channel '동네친구 강나미' in June last year. Host Kangnam was impressed, saying, "You speak so well, people might mistake you for a Korean," to which Haruto admitted, "I get that a lot these days." Kangnam added, "It feels like I'm filming with a Korean."
Foreign K-pop Idols Impress with Fluent Korean Skills, Sparking Playful Nationality Jokes
Felix from the group Stray Kids is another idol whose Korean skills are so advanced that many are unaware he is a foreigner. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Felix struggled with Korean until 2017. He was even eliminated from the Mnet show 'Stray Kids' due to his language skills but returned thanks to fan support. His improvement over time has been met with positive reactions from the fandom.
On the MBC variety show 'Radio Star' last year, Felix shared, "At debut, I was more comfortable with English, but now Korean feels just as natural." A fan commented, "I forgot Felix was a foreigner. His Korean pronunciation is so natural."
Foreign K-pop Idols Impress with Fluent Korean Skills, Sparking Playful Nationality Jokes
Yuqi from (G)I-DLE is another standout, with fans joking that she speaks Korean better than the two Korean members of her group. On the tvN variety show 'Amazing Saturday' in 2022, SHINee's Key remarked, "Foreign members should show their passports. (Yuqi) speaks too well," expressing his admiration.
Yuqi holds a TOPIK level 5, a testament to her proficiency. The TOPIK level 5 is just below the highest level 6, indicating an excellent command of Korean in both everyday and professional contexts.
By Min-Kyung Lee, TenAsia Reporter 2min_ror@tenasia.co.kr
