"Jimin? Jackson Wang?" — Meet Cai Xukun, The Most Misidentified Man At The "2023 Met Gala"

On May 1, one of fashion’s most significant events, the Met Gala, took place in New York. The event draws in some of the biggest names worldwide, including many Asian celebrities.

This year’s attendance list included some big names in the Korean entertainment industry, like The Glory star Song Hye Kyo, GOT7‘s Jackson Wang, and BLACKPINK‘s Jennie!

song hye kyo looks stunning at the #MetGala pic.twitter.com/oD2FgxBPuM

— ♡ (@taesdawn26) May 1, 2023

Jackson Wang at the 2023 #MetGala pic.twitter.com/71CiMEasxH

— Met Gala 2023 (@MetGala23) May 1, 2023

The best 😳✨

JENNIE MET GALA#JENNIEatMETGala #MetGala
pic.twitter.com/Tij1WyZpVL

— JENNIE KIM GLOBAL (@JENNIEGLOBAL_) May 2, 2023

As the stars hit the red carpet, one man seemed to attract attention for his looks and outfit. Unfortunately, he was mistakenly identified as three different Asian celebrities by major news outlets like Vogue, GQ, and USA Today.

The star in question is Chinese singer-songwriter Cai Xukun (also known as Kun), who was making his first Met Gala appearance representing Prada as its China ambassador.

The handsome musician got his start in the industry in 2012 when he appeared on the variety show Up Young! and made his acting debut in August of the same year in the drama Half A Fairytale.

He made his musical debut as a member of the group SWIN after the Korean-Chinese collaboration program Super Idol ended, but filed a lawsuit to terminate his contract in 2017, ultimately winning in 2019.

While this lawsuit was ongoing, Xukun joined the survival show Idol Producer as an independent trainee and debuted as the center and leader of the winning team Nine Percent.

During his time in Nine Percent, Cai Xukun set up his own personal studio, releasing his first mini-album, 1, in August 2018, featuring the lead track, “Pull-Up.”

After Nine Percent’s disbandment in 2019, the artist continued working as a solo artist, even joining the latest season of Idol Producer as a mentor alongside BLACKPINK’s Lisa. His first full album was released in 2021, following several singles dropped throughout 2020.

In addition to his career as an entertainer, Cai Xukun has made a name for himself in the fashion and luxury goods industry, having been named a brand ambassador for Levi, Givenchy Beauty, and Jo Malone. His most recent collaboration is with the brand GENTLE MONSTER, which announced he would be working as the director for their Crystal Clear project.