Usually, K-Pop idols will only make one debut throughout their career, sticking with their first group until they pursue solo endeavors. For some idols, they may re-debut once or twice if their group disbands, like ZEROBASEONE‘s Kim Jiwoong, who previously debuted with INX before their disbandment.
Other idols like SHINee’s Taemin have made multiple debuts in their career without leaving a group — his first debut as a member of SHINee, his second a member of the YOUNIQUE unit, his third as a solo artist, and his most recent as a member of SuperM.
Another idol may have set the record for most debuts, and he is under the same label as other multi-debut idols!
In 2005, Super Junior’s Eunhyuk debuted as a group member (then called Super Junior 05), before Kyuhyun was added the following year, and the group dropped the 05 in the name.
2007 brought about his second debut as a member of Super Junior’s Trot unit, Super Junior-T, alongside Leeteuk, Heechul, Shindong, and Sungmin. As the name implies, they were the first idol group to focus on releasing trot-style music.
During the next year, he debuted as a member of Super Junior-H (or Super Junior-Happy), with the release of their first mini album, Cooking? Cooking!, with a title track of the same name
By 2011, Eunhyuk was a member of three different subunits following his new inclusion as a member of Super Junior-M. In December of the same year the release of Super Junior—D&E’s “Oppa, Oppa,” brought him to a grand total of five debuts.
SM Entertainment and Hyundai created a partnership that lead to Eunhyuk’s sixth debut as a member of the official dance unit — YOUNIQUE Unit. Eunhyuk is also a member of SM’s SM The Performance unit, which debuted in 2012.
Finally, the idol made his “official” solo debut in 2021 with the release of his first digital single, “Be,” though it was not his first solo track performed.
Eunhyuk’s many debuts and long career are truly impressive!
