Are there Latin idols? If there’s one thing that all K-pop fans like, it’s to feel close to the idols, because they’re people they admire. While there are many ways to feel close, and not in the literal sense of the word, although many fans would like it, one way to feel that way is by sharing a culture or a nationality.
Below we will tell you which Korean idols of the K-pop industry could be considered Latino according to a literal definition of what it would be like to be Latino, that is to say, to have been born in a Latino country, or a more cultural definition, understanding that they have Latino blood.
1. Kim Samuel
Kim Samuel is a 21-year-old idol known for being the youngest trainee of the band Seventeen before his departure prior to the band’s debut. Years later he debuted in hip hop duo 1PUNCH, which was only active for a few months. He then appeared on Produce 101, remaining at number 18 and therefore out of the debut group. After finishing the show, he began his solo career with the single I’m Ready and his first mini-album Sixteen.
It turns out that this Latin idol, Samuel Arredondo Kim, is of Korean ancestry on his mother’s side and Mexican ancestry on his father’s side.
2. Howon
Howon, better known in Latin America as Juan Cheong, is part of the group W24, which is under the agency Favor Entertainment. This Latin idol was born in Chile, where he would live for five years. During the following years, he moved to different Latin American countries, such as Peru and Venezuela, until at the age of 19, when he moved to South Korea.
On the W24 YouTube channel, they publish covers of songs in Spanish, such as Morat’s No se va.
3. BM
The next Latin idol is Matthew Kim, aka BM of the mixed group KARD. Although he is a US citizen by birth, he is also of Korean descent on his mother’s side and his father is originally from Brazil, so he has a strong Latin culture connection. In fact, in a statement, he said that his father is very proud of him because KARD is popular in Brazil.
4. Jae
Park Jae-hyung, better known as Jae, was a vocalist and guitarist of the South Korean band DAY6, a product of his participation and victory in the reality K-Pop Star, managing to sign with JYP Entertainment. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but when he was very young he moved with his family to the United States.
5. Bahiyyih and Kai Huening
These two idols do not share a surname by chance, they are siblings. Kai is the maknae (youngest member) of TXT, one of the most famous bands of the 4th generation, which is under HYBE Labels. And Bahiyyih is a member of the group Kep1er, which was the result of the survival program Girls Planet 999: The Girls Saga.
Kai was born in Hawaii, United States, while her sister was born in South Korea. Both idols have Korean ancestry on the mother’s side and Brazilian on the father’s side, as the latter is Brazilian-American with German ancestry.
Were any of these Latin idols born in the same country as you, or do they have the same culture as yours? Tell us in the comments.
