Today I saw a video of former /Current? Wanna One member Lai Kuanlin talking about his lingering feelings for Korea. How he still cooks Korean food, keeps meaningful tattoos from that time, and the emotions that come up when reconnecting with old members. It really struck a chord and sent me down a deep rabbit hole about Chinese idols in the K-pop industry, particularly from the 3rd generation.
What really stood out is how, out of all the mainland Chinese idols who debuted in major 3rd gen groups with strong Korean activities, SEVENTEEN’s Jun and The8 (Minghao) are basically the only ones not only still consistently active and but fully thriving in the K-pop scene. They continue to participate in group promotions, comebacks, concerts, and all the regular Korean activities even now while still maintaining popularity back in China. You could also include Lay from EXO in the conversation, but he has had heavy focus on his solo career in China and limited group activities for years.
Pretty much everyone else from that era eventually shifted their main activities back to China. EXO-M members like Kris, Luhan, and Tao left the group early on. Chinese trainees and idols from various other 3rd gen projects followed similar patterns, returning home for survival shows, acting, variety, or solo music opportunities there. The THAAD tensions and the unofficial ban that started around 2016-2017 made it incredibly difficult to maintain balanced careers across both markets. Restricted promotions, shifting public sentiment, and rising nationalism on both sides pushed many toward choosing one side, and for most the Chinese market became the more viable long-term option.
It’s fascinating how Jun and The8 have been able to stay deeply embedded in SEVENTEEN and the Korean K-pop world throughout all of that. Whether it’s the group’s stability, their own approach, management, timing, or something else, they’ve made it work in a way that feels pretty rare for that generation.
But seeing Kuanlin’s reflections made the whole thing feel a bit bittersweet, thinking about all the different paths and “what if” stories from that time. Big props to the Seventeen Chinese members for navigating it so successfully long-term.
Are there any other 3rd gen Chinese idols I’m missing who are still properly active in Korean promotions and group activities? Or has it really come down to just Jun and The8 at this point? Just sharing some thoughts and observations about how the industry evolved, not trying to stir politics.
Would love to hear what you all think!
submitted by /u/TreeThink5214
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