Welcome to the 69th article of Kpopmap's weekly series exploring the amazing duality of K-Pop idols, actors, models, and more! This week's "Bias Duality" article is dedicated to one of the most marvelously impressive and endearing idols in the K-Pop industry - ASTRO's Yoon SanHa. With 57.9% of the total votes cast by Kpopmap readers on the poll in our previous "Bias Duality" article, Yoon SanHa was chosen by an overwhelming majority of fans to appear on this series!

To participate in choosing the artist who will be featured in our next "Bias Duality" article, you can vote for your favourite idol/actor below! If you would like to see a different idol/actor (one who is not mentioned in the poll) featured in the series, please leave their name in the comments section, and we will add them to the vote lineup next time!

 

 

Now onto our bias!

 

Yoon SanHa To Captain Ddana Of Our Hearts - His Evolution & Personal Duality

All aboard the ASTRO Boat because our Captain Ddana is ready to take over our senses. One of the most beloved, endearing, talented, and intoxicatingly handsome K-Pop idols we have ever known, ASTRO's maknae Yoon SanHa is a force to be reckoned with. Not only is he the living, walking definition of duality, expressing his artistry through myriad fields and genres, but he is also a genuinely interesting, inspirational, and utterly adorable human being who deserves the world.

Yoon SanHa joined the entertainment industry at the tender age of twelve, determined to transform his dream into reality. SanHa was taught how to play guitar by his brothers and his father, which awakened his passion for music. There is something to be said here about how early on SanHa recognized his purpose and worked tirelessly to achieve his goals. One might think that in this process, SanHa might have compromised on the essence of his childhood, but in reality, he gained 5 older brothers who cherished and raised him with the utmost love and care.

After years of unstilted hard work, which he juggled with school and, quite literally, growing up, SanHa debuted as a member of the boy group ASTRO only to fall irrevocably in love with AROHA. So, when SanHa says that his youth is “All Yours”, he quite literally means it. It is debatable whether any idol is just as devoted to their fandom as SanHa is for AROHA. After all, who can forget who SanHa compared AROHA to the moon and the ASTRO members as six stars who protect it?

After winning hearts left and right as an ASTRO member, SanHa debuted in the group’s highly-anticipated subunit MOONBIN&SANHA and displayed a whole new charisma that left us in awe. This debut too was met with glorious success, both critically and commercially, proving SanHa’s mettle once again. Today, SanHa is not just an accomplished idol/singer-songwriter but also an actor, a variety star, an MC, a television host, a musical actor and so much more!

Before we dive into the extraordinary duality that manifests itself in SanHa’s vocal range, stage presence, and filmography, we must draw your attention to the complex, multifaceted and iconic personality that SanHa boasts of.

Now, like we mentioned before, perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about SanHa is his heart-warming synergy with his members. Being the youngest in his own family and also the same in his found family, ASTRO, it’s SanHa’s world and we’re just living in it. Not only are AROHA wrapped around his finger but the same goes for the ASTRO members and their love for their Baby Tiger SanHa too!

SanHa might tease his members, test their patience and embody the ultimate chaotic maknae energy but he is also the most thoughtful, considerate, attentive and caring baby brother ever. In fact, his members will admit that he’s even like an older brother to them at times! Truly, SanHa has wisdom beyond his years and it is incredibly refreshing to see him drops pears of the same on us ever so often.

SanHa has immense emotional strength and doesn’t cry to often but when he does, it is because he is overwhelmed by his feelings inside. Even when he is nervous himself, he comforts his members and even when he’s having a hard time, he cheers AROHA up. One time, when an AROHA asked what they should do if they want to let go of everything and escape, SanHa related to the situation and advised them to stay strong for everyone who is cheering them on because he knows what they must be going through. Times like these is when SanHa’s true profundity comes to light. SanHa is as innocent and pure as a child, who is scared of sleeping alone, is protective about his brothers, and looks up to and loves them to no end, but he is also mature and reliable, with a good head on his broad shoulders.

In terms of affection, SanHa has a special knack for learning love languages and respecting the same because he adores all the different ways in which his hyungs show him love and reciprocates in the same way. That is one of the million reasons why everyone falls in love with SanHa at first sight. He simply oozes such a bright, warm and honest energy that it is virtually impossible not to be pulled in with a force larger than the black hole.

That’s not all! SanHa is full of surprises, even when it comes to his own disposition. At times, you’ll find SanHa having moments of clarity where he simply zones out with a look that says “what am I doing?” and then, accepts it. With humor as elite as his sass, SanHa is always the life of the party and stops at nothing to play around with his members. For Yoon SanHa, the limit does not exist! Even when he’s nagged at, lines are simply meant to be crossed when it comes to ASTRO’s resident Beagle. With the infinite comebacks SanHa always has up his sleeve for his members, SanHa is fearless, feisty, hilariously dramatic, and smug all at once!

Speaking of fearless, the only things that can unnerve SanHa are probably jumpscares, ghosts, loud noises and bugs. Despite being the 6’1 hunk of a man that he is, SanHa is scared of insects and if met with one, will curl up like a tiny baby that we want to fit into our pockets. His reactions, when scared, are particularly cute, even though we know that he is actually distressed. After all, he can’t help that his natural aegyo is just brimming over! It isn’t surprising therefore that SanHa also holds the title of the King of Aegyo in K-Pop and also the trademark for “Bbu Bbu”!

If you thought we were done gushing over SanHa’s charms, you couldn’t be more wrong. We cannot gloss over the fact that SanHa looks even more attractive when he’s being competitive or taking on a challenge. Neither can we ignore that he is the mukbang star we need and deserve. Yoon SanHa was born to be a star, and his shine is inimitable.

 

The Voice Of An Angel - Yoon SanHa's Vocal Duality

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be serenaded by an angel, just listen to Yoon SanHa. If his visuals weren’t proof enough, with a voice as golden, rich and warm as SanHa’s, there’s no doubt that he is absolutely otherworldly. SanHa might be blessed by the heavens and his genes with the most outstanding voice but it was his blood, sweat and tears that transformed it into the most mellifluous singing voice - one that we’re lucky enough to know and love now.

Through a mix of rigorous training and innate talent, SanHa honed his skills to the highest degree of perfection and debuted as the Lead Vocalist of ASTRO. As the years have passed, we’ve witnessed SanHa’s voice evolve as he continuously pushed himself to improve, and this is exactly what garnered him high praise.

In particular, there’s a certain uniqueness in how SanHa emotes through his singing that can both pull right at the heartstrings when it needs to and also send a rush of adrenaline through you. It is so wonderfully conversational in essence, tinged by the magic of storytelling, that it almost feels as though SanHa is singing to you and you alone and the notes that he hits are immaculate, to say the least. It isn't surprising, therefore, that SanHa is also an excellent musical theatre actor, as is evident from his performance in "Altar Boyz".

When it comes to SanHa’s vocal duality, he can go bright and bubbly but also dark and twisted. He can go to the highest highs and the lowest lows and everything in between. He has mastered such a versatile range that his melismas are naturally effortless and he can switch between tones and pitches like nobody’s business. Similarly, playing around with genres, experimenting with different styles, and even fusing one with the other is SanHa’s speciality!

Now, there is an obvious contrast between ASTRO’s predominant style versus MOONBIN&SANHA’s darker style, which are diametrically opposed to each other. However, even within ASTRO’s discography as well as MOONBIN&SANHA’s, there are several shades of duality that SanHa brings out.

To elaborate, we have to highlight MOONBIN&SANHA’s latest EP, “Incense”, where the duo explores a mysterious, invigorating concept of fragrance and its evocative power, aiming to create a unique scent that mesmerizes AROHA.

The EP features SanHa’s self-written and self-composed solo song ‘Wish’, a poignant, affecting pop ballad with raw, authentic beauty which is not only refreshing but also shines the spotlight on SanHa’s gentle yet resounding vocals. The song derives its force from the soul, and the confessional tone is grandiose, to say the least. We also cannot ignore that ‘Wish’ is quite literally a love letter from SanHa to AROHA that holds his endless affection and gratitude.

The title track from the same album ‘Madness’ features SanHa rapping for the first official time on a record. His voice is pumped with energy, desperation and desire, driving the song to its climax with sheer power and conviction. The alt-rock/rap genre fits SanHa’s voice just as much as the ballad, and the duality between the two is nothing short of marvelous.

At the same time, we have ASTRO songs like the peppy ‘All Good’ and the emphatic ‘Waterfall’ on the one hand and the alluring ‘One’ on the other that illustrate a duality quite similar to the aforementioned binary.

Some other songs that we highly recommend you check out to dive deeper into SanHa’s duality are all his covers, especially his acoustic version of NewJeans’ ‘Hype Boy’ and ‘It’s Okay’ by EXO’s D.O. to name a few, his performance at “King of Mask Singer”, MOONBIN&SANHA’s ‘Ghost Town’ and ASTRO’s ‘Blue Flame’. In addition, don't forget SanHa's episode on "Leemujin Service" for a true display of SanHa's majestic live vocals. You can thank us later!

 

Charm Of The Unrivaled Kind - Yoon SanHa's Stage & Screen Duality

There are only two valid reactions to the unbelievable duality SanHa shows between his real personality and his stage persona - utter disbelief and endless admiration. Usually, the first is followed by the second as we come to terms with the fact that both are the same person. However, even more brilliant is the polarity that he imbues in all the different concepts that he takes on.

Much like SanHa’s vocal duality, his form of expression varies greatly from song to song and theme to theme on stage. Not only does he transform completely to embody the quintessential meaning of the song that he’s performing but also adds to it in a way that only he can, amplifying the impact of the experience manifold.

Moreover, being a fast learner and an expert dancer allows him to grasp choreography sooner and as such, gives him ample scope to redefine it in his own style and complement it with his facial expressions.

For the sake of SanHa’s stage duality, we shall approach a “show and tell” method with some of his best fancams, because words aren’t enough to capture his greatness.

First, in ‘All Night’, which ASTRO performed at “M COUNTDOWN”, SanHa adopts an undeniable soft elegance and undercuts it right away with the passion he injects into his performance. He doesn’t just execute choreography, he breathes life into the same and watching him dance is like witnessing the elusive moment when a dewdrop catches the sun to create a prismatic show of colors. From the lightness in his steps to the undisturbed poise on his face, everything comes together for the perfect stage.

As a representation of the other end of SanHa’s stage spectrum, we picked MOONBIN&SANHA’s stage of ‘Who’, also from “M COUNTDOWN”, where SanHa unabashedly lures us to the dark side as the master of puppets. It is not just his vocals or dance or makeup that is fierce, it is his magnificent presence and command over the stage that has us weak in the knees.

‘All Night’ SanHa and ‘Who’ SanHa are so strikingly different from each other that it is a stunning sketch of his duality in and of itself. If we had to find a middle ground that precisely portrayed both SanHa’s sweet and spicy charms, we would look to the 00s’ cover performance of Red Velvet’s ‘Psycho’ at “Music Bank”. You do not want to miss this one.

SanHa’s duality also rings true when it comes to his acting range. So far, we have seen SanHa in three distinct types of roles - the mischievous albeit clueless little brother Lee SooHo in “Crazy Love”, the charismatic (with a side of corny) and popular lover boy “Big Daddy” in “Your Playlist” and the pure and sincere TaeOh in “Love Formula 11M” (a character that SanHa admitted to being 100% in sync with).

Despite being in similar genres, SanHa played every character with nuance, imparting a characteristic color to each. As just the tip of the iceberg that we’re sure will be revealed soon, SanHa’s versatility is truly exceptional, and we cannot wait to see more of him in film and television, perhaps in genres like mystery, thriller and even horror too!

 

SanHa Over Flowers - Aesthetic Duality To Blow Your Mind

If you've made it here without falling over from swooning, you might want to hold on to your sanity a little longer because if the aforementioned dualities were any indicator, SanHa's aesthetic duality is simply out of this world. With his captivating eyes, high cheekbones, and sharp facial structure enhanced by his full lips and perfect nose, SanHa's natural visual is nonpareil. When he adorns it with makeup, whether it be a light and fairy-esque look or a dark and mysterious one, SanHa's entire vibe changes with it. Needless to say, both looks have fandoms of their own, but it is impossible to pick one favorite.

Similarly, in terms of fashion, whether it be SanHa's personal style or stage outfits, hair color or accessories, there's nothing under the sky that this man cannot pull off with ease. Nose rings, leather on leather, cropped tops, harnesses, pastel cardigans, suits, satin shirts, doctor's coats, sheers, mesh, velvet - you name it, SanHa has rocked it.

The best place to indulge yourself in SanHa's aesthetic duality is to join the 3 million people who follow SanHa on his Instagram (@ddana_yoon) and bask in the glory of his feed. With casual OOTDs that scream "boyfriend material" to photoshoots that leave our jaws hanging and stage fits that turned innumerable crowds wild, selfies that make us want to protect him to those that make our hearts skip a beat, SanHa's Instagram is a visual treat that no one can resist.

At the end of the day, right from the way SanHa's nose scrunches up when he's laughing to the way he pouts when sulking, everything about this magnetic force of a man inspires love and affection. Anything he puts his mind to, SanHa achieves, and even at such a young age, he has made an indelible name for himself in the global entertainment industry. As SanHa continues to create his own golden legacy as an incomparable artist, we cannot wait to see what he has in store for us next.

What is your favorite thing about Yoon SanHa's duality? Tell us in the comments section down below!

 

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