Suho from Exo, K-pop’s handsome ‘guardian’ who keeps the band together

Exo’s lead vocalist, top visual and group leader, Suho debuted with the band in 2012 after more than five years of training
He has a reputation as an earnest leader who remains level-headed even in tough situations, always staying positive under pressure

K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop

Jeff Benjamin

Published: 10:00pm, 4 Jul 2020

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His birth name is Kim Jun-myeon, but the world knows him by his stage name, Suho, which has a special meaning in Korean.

Taken from the Korean verb “to protect like a guardian”, Suho’s stage name as a member of Exo has come to mean more than he probably ever realised. We explain why the “guardian” role is a perfect fit for the leader of the history-making K-pop boy band.

Suho’s early life

Kim was born in Seoul’s wealthy Apgujeong neighbourhood in May 1991. Young Kim was an exemplary pupil, was picked as his junior school class president, and earned admission to the prestigious Whimoon High School. All along he dreamt of being a singer.

Leadership has always been a priority for Suho.

After being discovered by a casting manager, Suho became a trainee at K-pop company SM Entertainment in his early teenage years. Over more than five years of training he saw fellow trainees and friends, such as Shinee’s Taemin and Jonghyun, debut before him, and he has spoken of dealing with loneliness while waiting for his chance to enter the industry.

Suho’s role in Exo

In early 2012, Suho was introduced as the 10th member of Exo ahead of their official debut in April that year, which confirmed him as the group’s leader.

While he is also a lead vocalist and considered a top visual in the record-breaking boy band, leadership has always been Suho’s priority.

When Exo lost some members in 2014, Suho emphasised the core values of the band. During what could have been an awkward moment accepting a music award for Exo on television in the midst of Kris Wu’s unexpected departure and lawsuit against SM Entertainment, Suho spoke confidently about committing to Exo’s motto of “We are one”.

Suho’s solo career

Suho has shown his acting skills in various television shows, including main roles in dramas The Universe’s Star, Rich Man, Poor Woman, and How Are U Bread, and in films, with lead roles in Middle School Girl A and One Way Trip, which premiered at the 2015 Busan Film Festival.

He has also starred in musicals, with lead roles in The Last Kiss and The Man Who Laughs, along with a main role in the holographic musical School Oz.

Suho has been able to share his personality via unique reality shows, such as the travel show Fluttering India, and as a host, including for K-pop music chart show Inkigayo. He recorded voice-overs for the 2013 animated holiday movie Saving Santa and has given lectures, including speaking about his ambitions in an episode of “The Moment” series with jazz vocalist Lee Dong-woo.

While Suho has been able to show his musical range via collaborations on singles – he has recorded tracks with Exo’s Chen, soulful folk singer Jane Jang and jazz pianist Song Young-joo – he came into his own with the release of his debut solo EP, Self-Portrait, earlier this year.

The EP focuses more on rock music – staying true to his long love of funk rock – and performed strongly in the music charts in South Korea, Japan and America.

Suho says he always pushes himself to do better.

Suho’s image

One of Suho’s most striking aspects has undoubtedly been his good looks. In fact, he once said his name was associated on search engines with a Korean phrase that translates to “get a meet-the-parents free pass”. This refers to an individual who is so good looking, a bride-to-be’s parents would automatically accept him based on just his face.

In addition to his good looks, Suho’s many years of hard training have earned him a reputation as an earnest leader who remains level-headed even in tough situations, always staying positive under pressure.

Suho came into his own with the release of his debut solo EP.

In his own words

Suho has always been humble about his successes and pushes himself to do better, all in the name of his group.

“Though I’m currently living the life I dreamed of in my trainee days, I still have a long way to go,” he told Star1 magazine. “I’ve never regretted being a part of Exo as the leader. Even if I was reborn, I’d want to be a member of Exo again.”

As Suho grew in his career, he found that solo activities helped him learn more about himself.

“As I slowly try different genres of music and have new experiences outside of promoting with Exo, I’m starting to discover more about myself,” he told High Cut magazine in 2019.

Ultimately, Suho sees his role as leader as not only pushing him to do better in the boy band but also for himself.

“As we approach the anniversaries in [Exo’s] career, I do feel the sense of responsibility that comes with this position,” he told Leon magazine. “But that feeling [of responsibility] is a good kind of pressure. It ensures that I don’t stop and that I keep moving forward.”

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